Usagi's Struggles
by Serena530
Summary: Usagi's not good at being Sailor Moon, but she's trying her hardest. Her friends are getting tired of her lack of fighting ability and klutzy moments, but they will soon learn that you can't judge a book by its cover.
1. Author's Note

Authors Note

This story of mine takes place during the first season of the anime. So it'll be before Minako/ Sailor Venus arrives and before they know the identity of Tuxedo Kaman, and also before everyone knows that Usagi is the Moon Princess they have been searching for. In this story I may use events from both the anime and the manga, and I intend to use everyone's Japanese names. I'll do my best with the spelling of those names since I only have my DVD's with the subtitles as references, so please bear with me. I have no idea where this story is going, so I'll be waiting to see what happens just like the rest of you.

I really love Sailor Moon. It's been my favorite anime since I was in middle school, so about when I was oh 12 or 13 years old and I am now 24(updated 7/25/08). So you get the picture. Last year I decided that I wanted to get the manga and read them, so I went and hunted them down on ebay and and I absolutely loved them; it was completely worth the money and the wait (although they probably wouldn't have cost so much if I hadn't wanted then new instead of used). I've got a ton of trading cards and posters and all that other good stuff. So you get the idea about how much I like Sailor Moon and I think I know everyone's characters pretty well, but I could be wrong so please be nice.

My inspiration for this story was from my love of the anime/manga, and also from the many stories that I have read on here and had the chance to enjoy. I admit that I was inspired greatly by stories written by **Princess Destiny, Goddess Usagi, **and** Soapy Harlequin, **so I would like to give them a special thank you for creating such great works of art.


	2. Harsh Words

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

_**Author's Note**__**: Edited: 12/18/09**_

Harsh Words

Usagi was once again late for a senshi meeting at Rei's temple, because she had gotten herself detention for falling asleep in class again. _It's not my fault that we have a battle almost every night, and I don't get much sleep. I mean how can anyone expect me to fight a youma, go home, do my homework, and then try and get some sleep through the pain from my wounds and bruises from the fight?! And lets not forget that it takes a lot of effort and skill to sneak in and out of my house without getting caught!_ She thought to herself heatedly as she ran at top speed toward the temple. _Ugh! Rei is going to be really steamed when I get there. She probably already …_

BAMB!!

Usagi didn't even get to finish her thought. She felt like she had run into a brick wall as she fell to the ground landing on her butt. "Odango! How many times do I have to say it in order to get through those odango's on your head? Watch. Where. You. Are. Going." Came the stiff reply from above her. She didn't have to look up to see who it was. It was the one person she ran into without fail everyday. Chiba Mamoru.

Usagi got up, dusted herself off, and glared at him. She was already irritated that she was going to have to listen to Rei's complaints, and she was in no mood to deal with him. "Why don't _you_ watch where you're going baka. You've got eyes! Why don't you use them?" she said angrily. "Why don't you pay attention to where you're going instead of daydreaming?" he yelled. "Daydreaming?!" she repeated in rage. _This baka! Why is it that I can't go one day without seeing him?_ She asked herself. "You're such a baka!" she yelled. "And you're an Odango Atama!" he yelled right back.

Luckily the part of the neighborhood they were in was free of other people at the moment. "Why do you always…" she yelled but stopped when she heard a beeping sound coming from her school bag. "Ahhhhh….now I'm even more late! Out of my way baka." She said hurriedly as she ran around him and headed for the temple. He watched her run until she disappeared around the corner. He was always amazed at how fast she could run considering how clumsy and klutzy she was.

Minutes later….

Usagi checked her communicator as she ran up the many stairs to the temple, and groaned as she saw the symbol for Mars flashing at her. She dreaded answering it but she did none-the-less. "Odango! Where are you? We've been waiting for you for almost an hour!" she shouted as Usagi grimaced. "I'm right outside." She said as she reached the top of the stairs and paused to catch her breath. "Fine! Hurry up and get in here." She shouted ad her face disappeared from the screen.

Usagi sighed as she jogged to the temple_. I wonder if the others are just as mad as Rei. Well none of them can be as mad as Rei. I mean I don't know where all of Rei's anger comes from, but she seems to like taking it out on me. Anyway the girls will probably be disappointed or something along those lines._ She thought as she slid the door to Rei's room open and stepped in. She wasn't paying attention to what she heard from them before she entered the room, but she could tell that it was about her since the room went deathly quiet once she entered.

She looked at each of their faces as she sat down. Ami looked sad and guilty, Makoto looked guilty and wouldn't meet her eyes, Rei looked upset and Usagi thought that she wanted to glare at her. She looked at Luna's face, but couldn't make out any specific expression. She closed her eyes and took a quiet deep breath then opened her eyes and looked at each of them as she spoke. "I'm so sorry that I'm late you guys. I got detention for falling asleep in class, and then I ran into that baka on my…" she said but didn't get to finish.

"We don't want to hear you're excuses Odango!" Rei said harshly. "It's always something with you." She continued. "I wasn't trying to make excuses for myself. I was simply letting you know what kept me." She said calmly but sadly. Sometimes Rei could really be a grouch. "But she's right Usagi. You're always late and it doesn't just affect you. It affects us all." Ami stated calmly looking at her but not making eye contact. _Great! Not Ami too_. She thought as she looked to Mako-chan for her opinion. "They're both right Usa, and it's starting to get old." She said, as she looked her in the eye.

Usagi couldn't believe what she was hearing. These were her closest friends; they should know why she was always late! She couldn't help that she was always tired and got up late. She couldn't help the fact that she was so tired that she fell asleep in class. It was a miracle that she was always able to put on a smile and walk around being cheerful, but she did because that was what made her feel happy. Made it possible for her to keep living her life the way she was living it. She was struggling with juggling her identity as Sailor Moon and her life as Tsukino Usagi, and it didn't help that she was having doubts about her ability to be Sailor Moon.

"You see! Everyone is tired of it. Tired of your excuses and behavior. You need to grow up and take your responsibilities more seriously. You're a senshi; your suppose to be our leader! Is this how your going to be when we find the princess?" Rei said loudly then looked to Luna. Usagi then looked at Luna too with a sad expression. Luna had been the only one to keep quiet, and she held out hope that Luna would understand her and take her side.

Turns out her hope was wasted.

"Rei is right. They all are. You do need to grow up Usagi. You have big responsibilities that you can't ignore. You are a senshi and the leader, and you need to start acting like it." Luna said, her voice rising in volume as she continued. "You're not a good fighter and need to train more, and you have to stop those bad habits of yours. All the klutzy moments, sleeping in class, being late, not studying or doing your homework. All of that needs to stop!" she finished. Usagi starred at her, close to tears. She had heard all this and more from Rei and some from Ami, and it had gotten to her…more than they could know, but it just seemed to hurt more coming from Luna.

"Luna's right about your bad habits. Especially studying and doing your homework. If you don't do these things you'll never get anywhere in life." Usagi heard Ami say in a serious voice. "Lets not forget about your skills as a senshi, which are non-existent, I might add. What kind of a senshi are you?! You're always late for battles, you barely fight, you always klutz out, and you rely on Tuxedo Kamen too much." Rei said and then her anger seemed to turn hostile. "Oh! And lets not forget the last battle! You were so late that that youma almost killed us!" she said hotly. "You keep this up and someone's going to end up dead!" she yelled.

Usagi could hardly think after what everyone had said. "I'm sorry. I've been trying really hard." She barely knew what she was saying as tears slid down her face. "Well your not trying hard enough! And don't think that those tears will get you any sympathy. This is a serious matter." Rei said and Usagi gasped at what she had heard, and looked at the others. They all looked like they were disappointed in her, and Rei looked angry with her. "I'm sorry." She said again as she got up and left the room. She couldn't stay there and see their faces, and they didn't even notice that it wasn't her normal wailing but actual tears.

Once outside the temple Usagi began to run. She ran down the endless stairs and headed home. She wanted to get as far away from them as she could. She finally slowed down when she got to her neighborhood and wiped the tears from her face. She couldn't believe what Rei had said. Did Rei honestly think she was the type of person to use her tears to make people feel sorry for her? She hoped that it was just her anger talking, and not her true feelings.

Usagi reached her house and for once entered quietly. She knew her father was still at work, but she didn't know if Shingo was home and she didn't want her mother to see her face. She knew that her eyes were all red and puffy from crying for so long, so she went straight to her room and closed the door behind her. She wasn't going anywhere so she changed out of her school uniform and into her PJ's. It was a pink two-piece set (pants and a long sleeve button up top) with silver crescent moons and stars all over it. She wore a white tank top under the top so she didn't have to button it up, and she left her hair up in her 'odango's'.

She then left her room and went to the bathroom to wash her face hoping to make herself presentable enough to face her mother. _I'll just say that it must be allergies_. She thought as she looked in the mirror and noticed that the water wasn't enough to take away all the effects of her crying.

Hours later…

Usagi had put on a smile and faked a cheerful mood as she spent time with her family that afternoon. Her mother didn't say anything about her puffy eyes, but Shingo teased her during dinner. She had bid her family goodnight and was now lying in bed starring at the ceiling. She couldn't sleep and knew that she needed to do some serious thinking about what was happening in her life. She glanced at Luna, who had appeared in her room while she was with her family, and who was now sleeping at the end of her bed then glanced out the window. She wanted to be alone and be able to see the moon since the moon seemed to have the power to get her relaxed and calm. She got up slowly so as to not wake Luna while she glanced at her clock. _10:30pm. Everyone should be fast asleep by now. _She thought as she made her way to the door of her room.

Usagi left her room, walked down the dark stairs, and headed to the door leading to the backyard with her long golden hair trailing behind her. It was lose so it stretched down to the top of her ankles. She unlocked the door, closed it behind her, and stepped on to the cold grass with her bare feet. She looked up but couldn't see the moon because of the height of her house.

_Hmm…what do I do now?_ She thought as she walked around the yard trying to see the moon from different spots. _I could go to the front of the house, but what if one of the neighbors sees me and tells my parents about me being outside at this hour? No. I'll just have to think of something else_. She thought as she looked up to the sky again. _That's it! The roof! But can I jump up there? I know that my abilities as Sailor Moon work when I'm not transformed, but I usually have a running start._ She thought as she bit her bottom lip. _Well there's no time like the present to give it a try._ And with that she took a deep breath and jumped as high as she could.

Turns out she could jump high. Higher than the roof, but she was able to land gracefully without klutzing out. _Ah. There you are_. She thought with a sigh as she was finally able to see the moon. She already felt relaxed as she walked to the center of the roof and sat down. She took in the view and thought it was beautiful. She could see the lights of the city all around her in the distance.

She then turned her thoughts to herself and what the girls had said to her earlier in the day. _They're so mean. They must know that the late nights fighting youma's are what keep me tired, which causes me to over sleep and be late. I wasn't like this before I became Sailor Moon. I was late every once in a in a while, but not every single day. And the fighting._ She thought with a sigh a she lay down. _I really am trying my hardest. They just don't understand that fighting doesn't come naturally to me, and I can't help it if I get scared and freeze up._ She thought as she remembered past fights. She would get too scared and freeze when the enemy came after her. If it weren't for Tuxedo Kaman she would have been a goner long ago.

It was hard to watch as the girls took to their powers and fighting like fish to water. It seemed like they would become more and more graceful in their fighting styles with each passing battle. Even quiet Ami had taken well to fighting. She wondered often why it never came that easy to her. Why it was so hard for her to get use to fighting. She wondered a lot about her life as Sailor Moon; wondered if there had been some kind of cosmic mix up.

_Maybe I'm not supposed to be Sailor Moon. Fighting doesn't come naturally to me, and I'm always messing up or getting in the way. I don't even have cool powers like Jupiter or Mars. Even Mercury's bubbles are better than what I have. All I can do is heal the youma turning it back into a human. I use to be able to use my tiara and dust them, but it was like as soon as the girls came along I couldn't do it without them weakening it first_. She thought sadly.

The more she thought about it the more she felt like her already limited power was diminishing with each new Senshi that showed up. Usagi sighed as she remembered Rei's earlier words. She took those words to heart. She herself had thought about it nonstop since the first battle she had as Sailor Moon. She always wondered if her lack of talent as a senshi would get someone killed. She was always afraid of that happening, and when it was time for another battle that fear would increase.

_Maybe I'm just not meant to be a senshi. I mean I love the feeling that comes over me when I transform, and I like helping people but I'm just not good at it. And I don't know what Luna was thinking when she made me leader. I'm not leader material; I don't even want to be leader. Any one of the other girls would make a better leader than me_. She thought as the tears started to flow. She knew she was a terrible leader and an even worse senshi, and wasn't sure if that would ever change.

The girls weren't helping her to be better. _It's like they expect it to come naturally to me like fighting does to them_. The only person that seemed to know that she needed help and encouragement was Tuxedo Kamen. _His words are harsh sometimes but he's always there to help me, and he always has encouraging words for me_. She thought and that made her smile and her tears slowed. She decided that she would move from her secret identity to her normal life.

No one knew the real Usagi. Not her friends even her family didn't know the real her_. I always walk around with a smile being happy and cheerful and that's who I am, but I can also be serious if I want to be. I'm not really a lazy klutz, or a crybaby, or a dunce. I could be just as smart as Ami if I felt like it or just as quiet. I could wake up early and be on time if I had the adequate amount of sleep._ She thought to herself then smiled. _Adequate! I bet the girls would have heart attacks if they heard me use such a word, and then to know that I understood its meaning. Now that would be a site to see_. She sighed.

_But anyway. They would never understand why I choose to act this way. I don't think anyone could understand. I just…I just feel like when I'm older I won't be able to act this way. I mean no adult behaves like this…well they could if they wanted to, but this is different. Ugh! This is even hard to explain to myself. Maybe I'm imagining it, but it's a very strong feeling that I've had since I could remember_. She thought to herself as she gazed at the moon.

Usagi was crying again. She wasn't sure why; maybe she wasn't happy with how her life was going or maybe she was sad that her friends couldn't accept her the way she was. She couldn't help but care what they thought and said. _Now that I think about it...that goes for baka too. I care about what he says to me, which is why I get so angry with him, and then sad when I'm not in font of him. I wouldn't want him to see me cry…not real tears anyway, and I'm not sure why I care if he does see me cry_. She thought as her tears continued to flow. It hurt her a lot when he called her a pig. She couldn't help it that she liked to eat a lot.

She began to hear a beeping sound in her head. _Great! Another youma attack in the middle of the night._ She thought with a sniff as she tried to stop her tears. She gestured with her hand and her communicator fell out of her sub-space pocket and into her hand. The Mars symbol was blinking brightly as she looked at it. _Why is it always Rei that contacts me?_ She asked herself as she wiped her tears away and held the communicator closer to her face, her hair creating a curtain so that Rei wouldn't be able to tell where she was.

"Usagi here." She said after pressing the symbol and watching Rei's face appear. "Odango there's a youma attacking around the corner from my temple. Get over here now." She shouted and the screen went black. "Well bye to you too." Usagi said as she stood up and put her communicator back in her sub-space pocket. She then walked to the edge of the roof at the front of her house and looked down.

"I wonder if this will hurt. I've never jumped straight down from this height, and certainly not with my bare feet." She said quietly to herself. "Well here goes." She whispered as she took a deep breath, let it out and jumped.

She landed on her feet and wobbled a little as she felt her body throbbing from the impact. She regained her balance and took off running toward the temple. _I may be having doubts about being Sailor Moon, but I still am Sailor Moon and I'm going to help my friends._ She thought as a few tears escaped her eyes. She was afraid of someone getting hurt, and afraid that it would be her fault. _What if someone gets hurt because I don't get there fast enough?_ She thought as she wiped the tears from her face. _But then again Rei's always telling me what a horrible senshi I am, so why does it matter if I hurry there or not? She thought wearily_ but still put on a burst of speed as she began to round a corner.

WHAM!!!!

Usagi felt like she had slammed into a cement wall as she fell forward. She heard an exclamation of shock and a slight groan, and realized that she had run into someone. They hit the ground hard or rather he hit the ground hard and she landed hard on him. He broke most of her fall, but her head had hit the ground just above his shoulder with some force causing her to groan in pain as shockwaves rebounded around her skull. She knew that it was Mamoru that she had crashed into, and who she was now laying on but she had the wind knocked out of her so she just lay there for a few moments.

"Hello to you too Odango." Mamoru grunted as he lay on the sidewalk with Usagi sprawled on top of him. "….". Usagi said nothing as she tried to get air back into her lungs. Mamoru became a little anxious when she didn't answer. He lifted his head a little so that he could get a look at her, and noticed that her hair was down and covering them both. He also noticed through her hair that she was wearing pajamas and that she was barefoot. "Usagi are you okay?" he asked; alarmed as he put his hands on her waist.

"I'm sorry. This time I really wasn't paying attention, but I didn't expect to run into anyone at this hour." She said quietly as she rolled off him. _Did I just feel his hands on my waist? And why am I being nice to him? _She thought to herself. _Maybe it's a side affect from hitting my head._ she considered as she lay on the sidewalk. She soon became aware of a stinging sensation on her forehead, and then felt her head start to pound. She sat up and brought a hand to the side of her head to try and ease the pain. Then she stood up and immediately leaned forward putting her hands on her knees.

"Are you okay?" she heard him ask again and felt a slight weight on her back. _His hand? Does he really have his hand on my back? And why does his touch make me feel all tingly? Like jolts of electricity or something_. She thought. "I'm fine. Are you okay?" she asked him as she felt something running down her forehead. She lifted a hand and wiped at it and looked at her hand. _Blood?! I'm bleeding!_ She thought quickly. She didn't want Mamoru to see.

"I'm okay. I'll have a bump on the back of my head but I'm good." He said then added "Odango? Why are you out at this time of night in your pajamas and bare feet?" he asked angrily and her head shot up. She had completely forgotten about the youma. She straightened and took a few steps forward and escalated it into a slow run. "Wait!" Mamoru cried out. This was no time of night for her to be out here and alone at that, and he had a strong feeling that she was hurt. "I'm sorry." She said in breathy apologetic tone as she paused and turned back to him; completely forgetting the wound on her forehead. "I have to get to my friends. It's an emergency and they _need _me!" she stressed and began to run at top speed. She would deal with her wound and pounding head when she got home. She heard Mamoru calling out to her, but she couldn't stop. She had to get to her friends.

It took almost ten minutes running at top speed to reach the area, and she had no idea how much time she had lost in that run in with Mamoru. The fact that she lived all the way across town didn't help either. She began to hear sounds of the fight and knew that she needed to hurry as she pulled her broach from her sub-space pocket.

"Moon Prism Power Makeup!" she shouted after she had stopped running and was immediately surrounded in warm pink light full of power. As she transformed she hoped that the wound on her forehead wouldn't be visible to the girls. The last thing she needed was for them to think she had a klutz attack.

When she finished her pose she ran to where the fight was and saw Jupiter, Mercury, and Mars fighting. She watched Mercury dodge out of the way of what looked like a lightening blast, but the force of the blast was so powerful that when it hit the ground she was thrown into the air. "Mercury!" she shouted as she ran in the direction of Sailor Mercury. She caught her but fell back from her weight. "Sailor Moon?" Mercury said weakly. "Yes! Mercury are you okay?" she asked anxiously. "Yes I'm fine. Help the others." She said as she rolled off of Sailor Moon and onto her knees.

Sailor Moon got up and ran to where Mars was standing in readiness to attack as she watched Sailor Jupiter use her lightening attack. "Took you long enough to get here! We've been fighting for almost half an hour!" she said hotly. "I ran here all the way from my house and got here as quick as I could." She said in an irritated tone. She really had got here as quick as she could. What more did the woman want?! "That's not good enough!" she shouted as she turned to face Sailor Moon. "We could have been killed in all the time it took you to get here!" she yelled.

Sailor Moon had a look of exasperation and hurt on her face at what Mars had just said to her. Then she noticed from the corner of her eye that the youma was about to attack them. She didn't have enough time to say or do anything, so she just reacted when she saw the lightening blast coming at them. She pushed Mars hard so that she would be clear of the blast and the force of it once it hit the ground, and forced herself to fall backward hitting the back of her head on the ground.

She did her best to ignore the pain as she got to her feet only to find herself being pushed back to the ground. Sailor Moon landed hard on her side as she looked up to see who had pushed her. She didn't know what she expected; the youma maybe but not a fellow senshi. She was completely shocked and a little hurt.

"Mars?" she asked in a hurt yet surprised voice. "I can't believe this! First your late to the battle then you push me because I call you on it." Sailor Mars yelled. Sailor Moon was shocked yet again. _Did she not see that blast that hit the ground right where she was standing?! _She thought to herself as she got to her feet. "I pushed you to get you out of the way of that blast not because I was upset with what you said." She said to Mars as she got her Crescent Moon Wand from her sub-space pocket. She realized that the youma seemed distracted by their argument.

"Yeah right. Even if that was the case you didn't have to push me that hard." She shouted. _Why is Mars always shouting and yelling at me? What kind of friend does that?_ She thought as she pointed her wand at the youma and shouted "Moon Healing Escalation!" she then watched as it turned back into a human shouting 'refreshed' then turned her attention back to Mars. "Mars I didn't have a choice. If I hadn't done it then you could have been seriously hurt or worse." She said sadly not wanting to imagine it.

"I still don't think it was necessary for you to push me that hard. You could have said something rather than do that." Mars said angrily. " I think you pushed her too hard too." Came Sailor Mercury's voice. "Yeah Sailor Moon. Couldn't you have said something instead?" She heard Sailor Jupiter ask.

Sailor Moon couldn't believe it. She had saved Mars from getting roasted and they accuse her of pushing her to be mean. Accused her of being intentionally violent. She had saved her from being seriously injured or worse and they still found something to accuse her of. "No I couldn't have said anything. There wasn't enough time. I barely saw it in time to react." She said.

"You still didn't have to push her so hard Sailor Moon." Jupiter said. "She's right. There was no need to be so violent." Mercury said. Sailor Moon was on the verge of tears. All she had to do was blink and she would start crying.

"That's it! We need to have a serious meeting tomorrow. We'll meet at the temple." Sailor Mars said quietly as if she were too upset to speak louder. "And don't be late Sailor Moon!" she shouted. She then turned and went to help the human. Jupiter and Mercury looked at Sailor Moon as she cried for a moment then went to help Mars with the human.

Sailor Moon stood there for a moment then turned and ran away crying her eyes out. She couldn't believe that they had ganged up on her that way. _Nothing I do is good enough. Even when I'm not getting in the way or getting scared they still find something at fault with what I'm doing._ She thought as she ducked into a side street to de-transform when she reached her neighborhood.

From there she continued to run home. She needed to see how bad the wound on her forehead was and get it cleaned up. She also wanted to take some aspirin and lay down because her head was killing her, and all the crying she was doing wasn't helping. Thinking wasn't helping either, but she couldn't take her mind off of what happened.

_I still can't believe them. I bet anything that tomorrow they're going to continue where they left off tonight. I wonder how come Tuxedo Kamen wasn't there. We or rather I could have used his help. Maybe Rei wouldn't have been so upset if he had been there to see or if he had saved her instead._ She thought as she ran around to her backyard to get in her house.

Little did Usagi know….Tuxedo Kamen had witnessed the entire battle and the argument afterwards, and also that Mamoru was running around looking for her.

_**Author's Note**__**: Please be nice and review. Reviews help a lot, and it's nice to know that people read the whole thing. I'm not afraid to get a constructive negative critique so feel free to tell me what you think.**_


	3. Sailor Moon Resigns

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

_**Author's Note**__**: Edited: 12/18/09**_

Sailor Moon Resigns

Usagi woke with a start as her alarm clock went off. She rolled to her side groggily and turned it off as she looked at the time_. Ugh! 5am. I'd forgotten I had set it for so early_. She thought as she rolled to lay on her back once again. She had set her alarm clock the night before after deciding that she would get up early and think about the events of the night before since she was unable to do so at the time. She yawned while rubbing her eyes then lightly touched the bandage on her forehead as she remembered what she did once she got home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback to the Night before~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Usagi was inside her house she locked the door and stood completely still in the dark. She listened to the silence for a few moments to make sure her parents hadn't noticed she was gone then headed straight for the upstairs bathroom.

When she reached the bathroom she closed the door, turned on the light, and looked in the mirror. What she saw shocked her. She had a gash on the left side of her forehead underneath her bangs. It was small but deep enough to have bled a lot, and she noticed that it was still bleeding slightly. _Well at least my bangs can hide this. I know I heal fast, but this is going to take a couple of days at least_. She thought as she cleaned and disinfected the wound.

After Usagi had finished cleaning and dressing the wound she took some extra strong acting aspirin for the pain from her gash and the pounding in her head. She then left the bathroom, after cleaning up the evidence that showed she was injured, and entered her room slowly so she wouldn't wake Luna only to find that Luna was gone. _Great! One of the girls must have contacted her, and wanted to let her know what happened_. She thought as she lay down slowly not wanting to increase the pain in her head.

Once she was settled she found that her head was not only pounding with pain, but also teaming with everything that had happened that night. She knew she needed to go over and review what happened, and she wanted to but she was too tired and in too much pain both physically and emotionally.

_I'll just get up early and think over everything then. That would also give me a chance to get to school on time. Maybe I'll even be early, and that way I won't get detention and won't be late for the meeting. Ugh! The meeting!_ She thought with a sigh as she leaned over to set her alarm. _I'll think about that tomorrow along with everything else_. She thought as she settled against her pillow and felt herself relaxing.

When she felt herself relaxing that was when she realized that the light of the moon was shinning on her through the window. She looked out the window from where she lay, and was happy that she could see the moon as she drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of Flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Usagi stretched as she decided what to do with her self. _I'll get dressed then find myself something to eat. I'll figure out where to go once I leave the house_. She thought as she sat up. She felt a little lightheaded as her head began to throb and pound slightly. _I guess I'll need some more aspirin._ She thought warily as she stood up.

Two hours later…

Usagi left her house quickly with her parents' eyes burning holes into her back. She didn't give them enough time to focus on her face, so she was free from explaining why she had a bandage on her forehead. Her bangs covered it for the most part so she wasn't too worried about anyone noticing it, but her parents would have. Especially since she was up and moving around so early.

_Well that's one major disaster avoided_. She thought with a sigh as she walked slowly in the general direction of her school. _Last night was a major disaster as well. I still can't believe how they ganged up on me after I saved Rei. She could have been a dent in the sidewalk if I hadn't reacted. I __**know **__they would have been worse if I hadn't reacted at all. It's like I can't do anything right!_ She thought angrily.

She then thought about how Rei had rounded on her when she was late for the fight, and how she had told her that her running all the way there wasn't good enough. _All the girls have been complaining about my behavior, my habits, and my ability as a senshi, but most of it is coming from Rei…and Luna now that I think about it_. She thought as she walked past the arcade lost in thought.

Usagi wondered if her behavior and habits were the cause of Rei's anger. _I don't understand why she's so angry with me all the time. She wasn't like this when we first met. Sure we argued and teased each other, but we weren't really angry at each other. These days it's like everything I do anger's her, and Ami-chan and Mako-chan go along with it. I can tell that they don't agree with everything she says, but they don't say anything against it and I know that they have their own opinions._ She thought sadly.

She couldn't understand why they just couldn't accept her the way she was. They were supposed to be her friends. They shouldn't mind the fact that she was klutzy, that she didn't like to study or do her homework, that she ate all the time, and wailed all the time. It was her life after all! She chose how she lived it.

_They didn't use to mind it. When we first met they didn't say anything about it_. She realized, then sighed. _Why are they like this now? I know I can act better, but they don't know that. Would they be nicer to me if I changed? Would they respect me? Accept me?_ She wondered as she neared her school.

_I shouldn't have to change!_ She cried out in her mind. _Besides….I'm still not a good senshi. Even if I did show them the real me that has nothing to do with being Sailor Moon. I would still be terrible at fighting, be clumsy, and freeze up in fear when I'm about to be attacked. Oh and lets not forget that I could get someone killed. I don't know what I'd do or even if I would survive if it was one of the girls or Tuxedo Kamen that was killed because of me._ She thought sadly.

Usagi was still lost in thought with a sad look on her face as she past the school gates, and automatically made her way to class. She wasn't early, but she wasn't late. In fact, due to her slow walking she had made it to class and in her seat just as the bell rang announcing the start of school.

_Tuxedo Kamen. I wonder what he thinks of me. I don't think he feels the same way as Rei even though he can be harsh sometimes. He's the only one who gives me advice on my fighting skills, and encourages me during battles instead of yelling or getting upset with me. But still….sometimes I can see the annoyance in his eyes when he has to save me._ She thought with a low sigh. She didn't want anyone to think she was sad, so she was careful not to draw attention to herself.

She then heard Ms. Haruna call her name as she went through the attendance. "Here." She called out, and Ms. Haruna looked up slightly surprised to see her but continued to call out every ones names.

Usagi took that chance to look over at Ami who was sitting on her right side, and then at Makoto who was sitting two seats over to her left. Neither one looked at her, and she wondered if they noticed that she was on time and not late for a change.

Eight hours later…

Usagi stood up with the rest of her classmates when the final bell rang. _Finally! I thought the bell would never ring._ She thought as she headed to the door where Ami waited for her with Makoto. The day seemed to go by extremely slow in her opinion, and she wondered if it was because fate knew about the Senshi meeting and wanted to give her more time before she faced the firing squad so to speak.

"Tsukino?" she heard her teacher call out to her and turned to look at her. "I need to speak to you." She said and Usagi nodded her head and turned back to Ami and Makoto who were still waiting for her.

"Go on ahead without me. I don't know how long this is going to take, so can you tell Rei and Luna about this if I'm late?" she asked them.

"Yeah sure." Mako-chan said while Ami-chan nodded her head in agreement. "Don't worry about Usagi-chan. We'll let them know." She assured her.

"Thanks." She said and then watched them leave the room and close the door behind them. She then walked over to stand in front of Ms. Haruna's desk and looked at her as she looked at a couple of papers in front of her.

"Have a seat Usagi." She said lightly as she gestured toward the desk that Usagi stood in front of. Usagi was having a bad feeling about what she was about to hear as she sat down. "I asked you to stay because I wanted to speak to you about your progress. I've noticed that your grades have been declining, and that you've been late more than you use to be." She said with a sigh.

"You're always eating or sleeping in class these days." Usagi gave her a look. "Okay so you use to do that before, but it's getting more frequent. Is there some reason for all of this? Is your home situation okay?" she asked in a concerned but professional voice.

_Oh no! She thinks I'm having problems at home!_ She thought as she gave her teacher a blank look then closed her eyes. "No Ms. Haruna. There's nothing wrong at home. I've just been having problems getting to sleep at night, so during the day I can't concentrate on anything." She said as she opened her eyes. "And when I'm tired I eat even more than usual." She said with a small smile.

Ms. Haruna laughed at that last part. "You should try to drink hot tea before you go to bed. It doesn't matter what kind as long as it's hot." She said as she gathered the papers on her desk then turned and handed them to Usagi. "You really need to do something about this." She said as she gestured to the papers, which turned out to be Usagi's latest graded papers. "You need to start studying more, doing your homework, and paying attention in class." She stressed to her.

"Now go home Usagi, do some studying, and your homework and then drink some tea so you can sleep." She said as Usagi stood up.

"I will Ms. H. Thanks for the advice about the tea. I hope it works." She said then left the room. _I think I will do my homework tonight. I'm sure I'll need something to distract myself from whatever will be said at the meeting_. She thought as she passed through the gates of her school and headed to the temple.

_I wonder if anyone else has noticed the change in me. Besides the girls anyway. Even I realized that I was eating and sleeping more during the day. Although I'm not always sleeping; sometimes I'm just resting in class. Of course no one notices the difference, which is how I want it. As for studying and doing homework…well I've basically given up trying to do it. I'm just going through too much to concentrate on it._ She thought with a sigh as she passed the arcade.

Usagi wished she could go in and blow off some steam on the Sailor V game, but she knew she needed to hurry to the meeting and she was already late. _I wonder if baka was in there. This is the first time in a long time that I haven't seen him. I hope he wasn't badly hurt last night. I know I ran into him really hard, and I've still got the wound and headache to prove it. _She thought as she neared the temple.

_Why am I worrying about him anyway? He's always teasing and making fun of me_. She thought in irritation. _You're worried because he was worried about you last night._ She answered her own thought. _He __**did **__seem really concerned last night. Especially when he was calling out to me after I had started to run. I really hope he's okay. I know he said he was, but he could have said that so I wouldn't worry. The last thing I need is to know that I caused someone pain._ She thought as she climbed the stairs to the temple.

After making her way to the top of the stairs Usagi walked to the temple, entered and made her way to Rei's room. She heard them talking, but couldn't make anything out.

As she entered the room the talking stopped. _Great! They were talking about me_. She thought as she sat down at the small table in the center if the room. Ami was on her right while Makoto was on her left. Rei sat across from her, and she noticed that she was glaring at her. Usagi frowned as she wondered what Rei could possibly be upset about. She had just got there!

"What?! No lame excuses for why you're so late. I could have sworn I said not to be late last night." She said angrily. Usagi looked dumbfounded. Didn't Rei already know why she was late? "Did you get detention again or did you run into Mamoru and stop for a nice chat?" she asked just as angrily as before.

Usagi looked at Ami and Makoto who both looked a little guilty. "Didn't you tell her? You said you would tell her. Told me I didn't have to worry." She said with a frown on her face. How could they not tell her? Could she not even rely on their promises now?

"Sorry Usa. We got caught up in what we were talking about and kind of forgot all about it." Mako-chan said to her as Ami nodded in agreement. "You know that I wouldn't have forgotten if we hadn't been so wrapped in our conversation." She said and Usagi decided that she wouldn't ask what could have made them both forget to tell Rei something that they promised they would tell. She was sure that she would find out sometime during the meeting.

"I had to stay after because my teacher wanted to discuss something with me." She said to Rei who still looked angry.

"And what was that?" came Luna's voice from Rei's bed. She hadn't even seen her lying there when she first came in. Probably because of the look on Rei's face.

"Don't even bother Luna. It was probably about her failing grades or how she's always late or something. Which brings us to today's meeting. That was what we were talking about before you came in." Rei said as she looked from Makoto to Ami and back to Usagi.

"We're tired of your excuses, your laziness, your klutziness, your wailing, and your lateness. We're tired of dealing with it. It doesn't help that you're always eating and goofing off. Oh and lets not forget about last nights incident!" she said loudly.

"Yes Usagi. What you did to Rei was uncalled for and as leader it shouldn't have happened." Luna said as Usagi gasped with a look between a frown and shock on her face.

"But I had to do it. If I hadn't you all would be angry that I didn't act." She said to them as she looked to each of them.

"What are you talking about Usagi? Why would we be angry if you decided not to take your anger out on Rei?" Luna asked with a frown on her furry face as she watched Usagi's face pale.

Usagi looked at Makoto and Ami, and saw that they were surprised by this but didn't say anything against it. _I can't believe this! Do I look like the violent type? I can't believe Luna would think that of me. She's known me the longest. She lives with me for goodness sake!_ She practically screamed in her head. Obviously Rei had been the one to contact Luna the night before and gave a completely different version of events from that of the other girls.

"Not only that but you're always late to battles, you can't fight, you can't protect yourself or others. Your like the senshi mascot instead of the leader." Rei said taking advantage of Usagi's speechlessness.

"Rei is right Usagi-chan." Ami said to her with a sigh. "It's like you bring all of your bad habits with you to the fight. You can't keep doing this or one or more of us is going to get injured. Is that what you want?" she asked but continued; not waiting for an answer. "It's not only that either. You don't study, you don't do your homework, you sleep in class, and even when you're not sleeping you don't pay attention." She finished in frustration as if Usagi's apparent lack of interest in her education was an affront to all her hard work.

Usagi knew this was true but they didn't know all the circumstances. They didn't understand why she did it, and that brought unshed tears to her eyes.

"They're all right Usa-chan. I know I'm not the best at studying and doing homework, but I still make an effort and do it. You're always sitting around reading comics and eating or doing nothing. You never pay attention during meetings either." Makoto said looking at her in disappointment.

Usagi knew what she said was true, but even though she knew the reason behind it all it still hurt to hear it. It was like the more they said the worse she felt about herself even though she knew why she acted the way she did.

"You see Odango? You hear what everyone thinks about you? It's like your getting worse by the day. You're a senshi! You're supposed to be better than this. How can someone like you protect the people not to mention our princess? What kind of a senshi are you to always be late to battles and then to be unable to fight or protect yourself?" Rei said, her voice getting louder and louder.

"You always rely on us or Tuxedo Kamen to save you all the time. What kind of leader does that? Honestly anyone of us would make a better leader than you." Rei finished angrily but with a satisfied look on her face.

Usagi sat there letting her unshed tears finally flow down her face. Rei's words had hit on the one subject that caused her more pain and guilt than the others.

She looked around at the others. Ami wouldn't meet her eyes, Makoto met her eyes but she still looked disappointed, Luna also looked disappointed, and Rei looked smug- almost happy.

Usagi closed her eyes and lowered her head as all their words replayed in her head. _They're right. I'm not a good leader, and an even worse senshi. I do rely on them and Tuxedo Kamen a lot to save me, but I can't help it. And I know that's no excuse for how I react during battles. Someone could get hurt; someone could get killed_. _But it's the best I can do._ She thought to herself.

_Killed! That's it! No more…I can't take it anymore. It's too much!_ She thought as she slowly shook her head. She then lifted her head and opened her red puffy eyes and looked at them. These girls who were supposed to be her friends. These girls who didn't know the real her.

"You're right. You're all right, but you didn't seem to mind my behavior when we first met. You didn't seem to care when I befriended each of you when no one else would." She said quietly as her tears continued to flow at the hurt…the pain that welled up in her chest and circled her heart.

"All of you complain about my behavior and the way I act, but not one of you has ever cared to ask why I do and say the things I do. And it's just sad that you, who I call my best friends, would be this way. I could easily point out all of your flaws, but I chose to ignore them since you're my friends.

"I saw your flaws before I befriended you all, but that's why I chose you. I like you _**and **_your flaws." She said, her voice still quiet. All the girls had the decency to look ashamed; even Rei. "But still… you're all right about me as a senshi. I'm a terrible senshi; I don't know why Luna made me leader. I didn't even want to be leader, but she said I had to so I accepted.

"I tried my best. I'm not good at fighting, and it's not fair to either you or Tuxedo Kamen to have to save and help me all the time." She said and then pulled her communicator, Luna pen, and Crescent Moon wand from her sub-space pocket and laid them gently on the table one by one.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt or killed. Especially not any of you or Tuxedo Kamen." She said as she pulled her golden broach from the bow on her school uniform and placed it gently on the table with the rest of the items.

"So here's your chance to pick another leader from among yourselves, and the best part is that you won't have to worry about me anymore. No more worrying about me being late. No more worrying about me getting in the way. No more worrying about anyone getting killed because of me." She said as she stood up with her schoolbag in hand. They all looked surprised and shocked at what she was saying and doing.

"Good luck Sailor Senshi. I hope you find the princess soon and safely." She said as she reached the door then paused. "Please…please tell Tuxedo Kamen that I'll miss him, and that I wish I could have seen him one last time?" she asked then slipped out the room not waiting for an answer and left quickly for home.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru woke up out of his sleep covered in sweat. He sighed as he rubbed his eyes and sat up. _Great. 5am. There is no way I'm going to get back to sleep_. He thought as he looked away from his clock and went to stand out on his balcony.

He had woken up from the dream that he had been having every night. He would be standing in a courtyard with tall pillars leading up to an elegant balcony. The place would be covered in fog, so he couldn't see too well. He would then hear a beautiful soft female voice begin to speak to him, asking him to find the silver crystal and that he would understand everything once he found it.

He would then look up and see a young lady with extremely long silver gold hair wearing a beautiful white gown. He was never able to see her face no matter how hard he tried because of the fog, and when he would ask her who she was she would only say that once he found the silver crystal he would know and understand.

Mamoru stood on his balcony wearing only a pair of sweat pants as he soaked up the cold air trying to cool him down. He then began to wonder if Usagi was okay as he pushed the dream aside. He had spent two hours looking for her after she had run away saying that her friends needed her; that it was an emergency.

He had run after her and was surprised yet again by how fast she could run. He had soon lost sight of her, and then felt that familiar sensation of pain in his mind that told him that Sailor Moon needed him.

He was torn between going after Usagi and going to aid Sailor Moon. Both of them needed him, and for a moment he was at a loss for what to do. Luckily the pull he felt from Sailor Moon was coming from the general direction that he knew Usagi had gone in.

_Last night was weird. Both Sailor Moon and Usagi seemed to be having troubles with their friends, but Usagi was the one that was physically hurt. I hope what happened between the Senshi isn't too serious_. He thought to himself as he remembered the events from hours earlier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback a few hours~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru was walking home after laving Motoki's place when he saw a pink and gold blur headed right for him. Even with his skills as Tuxedo Kamen he didn't have enough time to move when it slammed into him knocking him hard to the ground.

At first all he felt was the pain from his head hitting the ground, but he quickly became aware of a warm soft weight on top of him. He knew who it was. Usagi was the only person who had ever run into him like that. Actually she was the only person who had ever run into him at all.

"Hello to you too Odango." He grunted as he felt her breathing on top of him. He didn't hear her answer and he started to feel anxious that she might be hurt. So he lifted his head to look at her.

Her head was right next to his due to the fall- so close that he could feel the heat from her cheek, but he could see that her hair was down covering them both like a blanket. He also noticed through her hair that she was wearing pink pajamas and was barefoot.

"Usagi are you okay?" he asked in an alarmed voice when she hadn't moved or said anything. "I'm sorry. This time I really wasn't paying attention, but I didn't expect to run into anyone at this hour." He heard her say quietly and felt her roll off him.

Mamoru smiled slightly as he remembered how she had run into him earlier that day then watched as she sat up and got to her feet. He followed suit and once he found his balance he saw her leaning heavily on her knees.

"Are you okay?" he asked her as he placed his hand gently on her back and was shocked at what he felt. _My hand feels like I've just been shocked by static electricity, but it also feels natural. Like I'm suppose to feel this way; like I've done this before_. He thought with a light frown as he waited for her answer.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" he heard her ask him. "I'm okay. I'll have a bump on the back of my head but I'm good." he said to her then added "Odango? Why are you out at this time of night in your pajamas and bare feet?" he asked her angrily. She shouldn't be out here alone and dressed like that. She shouldn't be out here at all!

He watched as her head shot up as if she had just remembered something. She then straightened and started slowly running away. _What? Where is she going?_ He thought to himself as he called out to her. "Wait!" He then heard her say "I'm sorry." as she paused and turned back to him.

What he saw shocked and scared him so much that he almost didn't hear her next words. "I have to get to my friends. It's an emergency!" she stressed in a determined voice and began to run as fast as she had earlier in the day. He called after her but she didn't stop.

_Oh my god! Her forehead! There was so much blood. It was even in her bangs_. He thought as he ran after her. He lost sight of her quickly and he began to panic. _She could have a concussion or worse. I hope she hasn't lost too much blood, and that wound! I couldn't see it properly because of her hair, but I'm sure it doesn't look good_. He thought as he continued to run.

He then felt pain in his head and knew that Sailor Moon was in danger. He stopped running; torn between what to do. Sailor Moon needed him, but Usagi was hurt. As he transformed into his tuxedo he realized that Usagi had run in the direction that he felt Sailor Moon coming from.

_I hope she doesn't get caught up in the fight with whatever youma Sailor Moon is dealing with_. He thought as he began to hear signs of the battle. He came upon the scene in time to see Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars arguing. _Couldn't they save it for after the battle?_ He thought in exasperation.

Tuxedo Kamen leaped into a high tree so that he could have a better view of what was happening, and be able to see better when Sailor Moon needed him.

He then saw the youma powering up and knew that it was going to attack Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars. He looked back to Sailor Moon and knew by the sudden jolt of fear he felt coming from her that she knew the attack was coming as well.

He knew that he wouldn't get to them in time. He didn't even have time to call out a warning, and saw that Sailor Moon had realized the same thing. So he watched as her face became determined and then saw her push Sailor Mars hard enough to get her out of the way.

He almost had a heart attack when the electric blast from the youma almost hit Sailor Moon, but breathed a sigh when she forced herself to fall backward. He winced when her head hit the ground, and then looked to see how Sailor Mars was.

He saw her lying on the ground unharmed, and realized why Sailor Moon had pushed her so hard. He was so proud of her for having the sense to make sure Sailor Mars was out of the way of not only the blast, but also the force of it once it hit the ground.

Tuxedo Kamen was just about to jump down from where he was perched to help them get rid of the youma when he saw Sailor Mars walking toward Sailor Moon as she got slowly to her feet. What he saw next shocked and angered him.

He saw Sailor Mars push Sailor Moon back to the ground causing her to fall on her side. He knew that it was a little painful, because he felt it through the weird link he shared with her. He decided then that he would stay where he was because he had the feeling that he should watch and not interfere.

He watched as Sailor Moon dragged herself to her feet, and listened as Sailor Mars yelled at her. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sailor Mars thought that Sailor Moon had pushed her because she was upset with her and not to get her out of the way of danger, and the other Senshi seemed to agree with her.

_I can't believe this! Was I the only one who realized what was happening, and that Sailor Moon had no other options?_ He thought as he watched Sailor Moon change the youma back into a human with little effort then defend her actions to the other Senshi.

Tuxedo Kamen listened as the Senshi ganged up on her about what she had done, and saw in her posture that she looked defeated. He then noticed Sailor Mars say something that was too low for him to hear then turn to go help the human. He watched as the other Senshi followed her then turned his attention back to Sailor Moon.

He watched as she stood there for a moment then ran away. _I should go make sure she's okay, but I still need to find Usagi. I'll see Sailor Moon at the next battle, but Usagi is physically hurt. Depending on how bad she's hurt I might not see her for a long time_. He thought as he quietly made his way in the opposite direction of Sailor Moon unnoticed by the other senshi.

_I hope she doesn't have a concussion. She might get disoriented and get lost_. He thought as he made his way from building top to building top, trying not to think about why he was suddenly so concerned for the odango's well being. He hoped that he would have better luck finding her as Tuxedo Kamen then as Mamoru.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~End of flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mamoru closed his eyes and sighed as he walked back into his apartment. He was frustrated that he was unable to find her, and wished that he knew where she lived.

He was still surprised at how concerned he was for the girl he teased on a daily basis. _This is Odango Atama for crying out loud!_ He thought in frustration. _But still…she's hurt and I don't like to see her…ahh…girls hurt. I'll see her at the arcade today, and then I can stop worrying about her._ He reasoned as he got into the shower. He had a feeling that something else was wrong with Usagi since she was so quiet that night_. She kept apologizing and she didn't yell at me once. That's not her at all_. He thought as he let the hot water sooth him.

After his shower he got dressed, fixed himself something to eat, cleaned up then left for school.

Hours later….

Mamoru walked into the arcade that afternoon and scanned the place looking for Usagi. After school he had gone home and waited, so that she would get there before him. He didn't see her there and that had him even more worried then he was before.

He walked over to the counter and took his usual seat as he wondered where she could be. _Okay don't panic. Maybe she was in here, but left early or maybe she got into trouble at school and had to stay after. Maybe she was tired and went straight home after school or maybe she didn't go to school at all. Maybe she didn't even make it home last night. _He thought as he tried not to panic and failed.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Motoki come stand in front of him. "Helloooo…earth to Mamoru." He heard Motoki say to him and he looked at his friend blankly for a moment. "Sorry Motoki." He said.

"What's up Mamoru? You look worried." He said to him, concerned. Mamoru never looked this way. "I'm worried about Odango. Have you seen her in here today?" he asked hoping to get a favorable answer.

"No, but I saw her pass by here an hour ago. She looked determined, and she didn't even glance in here. Why do you ask? I'm guessing you haven't seen her today since you're asking about her. So why are you so worried?" he asked Mamoru.

Mamoru sighed and raked a hand through his jet-black hair. "Last night we kind of ran into each other pretty hard and she hurt her head. She ran off saying that her friends need her, and that it was an emergency before I could see if she was okay." He said to Motoki purposely leaving out the fact that she was in her pajamas and bare feet.

"Wait a minute. This happened after you left my place?" he asked in horror as he wondered what could be so important to have her out at that hour.

"That's right. I looked for her for two hours, but I couldn't find her and I was worried that she might have a concussion." Mamoru explained as he glanced at the sliding doors hoping that Usagi would walk through them at that moment.

He began to realize that he was not only worried about her, but missed her as well. He missed teasing her and seeing that fiery look in her eyes- especially when he called her Odango. _Ugh! And it's only been a day since I last teased her. This is crazy. I must be losing my mind_. He thought to himself.

"Well she looked fine when she passed by, and she was wearing her school uniform. So she must have been okay to go to school." He said with a frown as he wondered if she was really okay. He had always thought of her as a little sister, and didn't want to see her hurt.

That information made Mamoru stop panicking, but he was still worried. He wouldn't stop worrying until he saw her and could see for himself that she was okay.

"I guess I'll just have to see if she comes in tomorrow." He said and then ordered a cup of coffee from Motoki hoping to distract himself from his worries about Usagi.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi cried all the way home, and didn't care if her mother saw her as she entered her house. She could hear her mother in the kitchen, and Shingo playing video games in the family room as she made her way up the stairs to her room.

Once inside she closed her door then walked over to her window doors, closed, and locked them so that Luna couldn't get in. She was upset with Luna and didn't want to see her. She was upset with all the girls, but she knew that they wouldn't appear suddenly in her room as if nothing had happened.

_Luna can stay with one of the girls. I'm not Sailor Moon anymore. I'm not her charge, so she doesn't need to be here watching me anymore_. She thought as she lay on her bed. She wanted to sleep; she didn't want to think. Her head hurt too much from hitting the ground the night before and from crying.

Luckily for her she was tired enough to fall asleep at that moment, so she took a nap. About an hour and a half later she woke up feeling a little better. She wasn't as tired as she was before, and her head hurt a little less.

Usagi then went to wash her face, and then went back to her room to change into her pajamas. She put on a pair of pink sweat pants and a white t-shirt. She then went to lie down on her bed and looked out her window.

She unwillingly began to think about what happened earlier at the temple_. I don't regret quitting. I just wasn't meant to be a senshi, but what they said about me. I am not really what they say I am. I'm not really klutzy, lazy or a dumb blond. I can't help that I eat a ton, but of course I could be more graceful about it. _She thought as she rolled on her back.

_I'll show them…I'll prove to them that I'm not really what they thought I was. And you know what?! I'll show that baka too. He's always teasing me about how klutzy I am, and how I should study more. I'll show him! I'll show them all! They'll find out what I can really do!_ She thought determinedly.

"I'll start by doing my homework!" she said to herself and then looked at her door as it opened to reveal her mother. "Dinner's ready honey." Her mom said and left her door open as she went back downstairs.

"Okay so I'll do my homework after dinner, because I am starving." She said to herself, then raced out her room and headed to the dining room.

After dinner…

"Okay. Let's get this done." She said to herself as she sat at the floor table in her room with her homework and textbooks surrounding her. She started with her easiest subject which was math; intermediate algebra to be specific. She breezed right through it doing all the problems correctly, showing her work, and doing the check. She wasn't even sure if Ami could do her math homework as fast.

She then began to work on her history homework. Writing down responses to short answer questions and reading the required chapters. After she finished with her history she started on her biology homework. She always had a little trouble with biology, but not as much as she led everyone to believe.

She struggled through some of the questions, and read through the textbook to help her finish. She was glad that she didn't have homework for every subject, because she was tired and really didn't feel like doing more.

Usagi then put her homework and books away, and decided to take Ms. Haruna's advice and make some hot tea to help her sleep.

After she had drank her tea she said goodnight to her parents and went to her room. She set her alarm so that she could get up and get to school on time. She then turned off the lights and climbed into bed.

As she lay there she knew that tomorrow would be interesting, but also less fun then normal. She wasn't going to be klutzy, lazy or act dumb. She was going to show everyone the other side of her personality but in a way that would have them guessing as to how she did it.

Usagi then shifted in her bed so that she could get to the drawer in her nightstand on the right side of her bed and pulled out the star locket that Tuxedo Kamen had given her. She opened it and let the music sooth her into falling asleep.

_I wonder if I'll ever see him again_. Was the last thing she thought as she fell asleep.


	4. A Different Usagi

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

**Author's Note****: Just wanted to give a shout out to ****Jingy5**** for her foresight into my imagination. I wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing; maybe I should make my imagination a bit more complicated. LOL.**

_**Author's Note #2**__**: Edited: 12/19/09**_

A Different Usagi

Beeeeep, beeeeep, beeeeep.

Usagi woke with a frown at the annoying sound as she rolled over to turn off her alarm. _6 am. Way too early_. She thought with a sigh as she rolled on her back sleepily. After a few moments she became aware of music playing, and listened more carefully as she woke up completely.

_Oh no! I left it playing all night?!_ She thought frantically as she realized she had left her star locket open all night long. She quickly got out of bed and began to pull her covers back as she searched for the locket. It wasn't in her covers or her sheets, but she could still hear it. She then snatched her pillow off the bed and saw it lying there; glowing even in the morning light. She breathed a sigh of relief as she picked it up, and gently closed it. As she stored it back in her nightstand she wondered if it would play forever since it didn't take batteries.

Usagi then did something that she was sure would give her mother a stroke; she made her bed. She even fluffed her pillows before she gathered some clean underwear and her uniform then headed to the shower.

After she had finished her shower and was fully dressed she decided to have a look at the wound on her forehead. She went to the mirror, pulled up her bangs and saw that the gash was healing, but it wasn't healed enough for her to leave the bandage off. So she cleaned it, put a bandage over it, and went back to her room.

She stood before her vanity mirror as she brushed her hair. She then put it up in her familiar odango's, made sure her bangs covered the bandage, then left her room and headed to the kitchen. She hoped her family wouldn't shout their surprise at seeing her up so early since her head was pounding yet again. Her head wasn't completely healed from hitting the ground two nights ago, and she was sure that her crying fit the day before was the current cause.

Usagi entered the kitchen and found her parents talking quietly as they sat at the table finishing their breakfast. But as soon as they noticed her they stopped talking and starred in shock. She smiled brightly but didn't say anything as she made herself some toast and poured a glass of orange juice.

Her mother was the first to snap out of her surprise at seeing her up so early. "What happened to your head honey?" her mother asked in concern. She was facing away from her parents, so they wouldn't get a good look at her face but she could feel her mother's eyes on her. "It's nothing mom." She said after finishing her toast and orange juice. "I got hurt in gym." She said as she turned to face them with a wary smile. They smiled back and she knew that they believed her. _They probably think I had a klutz attack_.

After that Usagi was lucky enough to leave without her parents asking why she was up so early. She had taken advantage of their shock, and slipped out with her school bag and lunch without being noticed. _Yes! I'm up and out of the house before Shingo could even show his face in the kitchen. _She thought as she made her way to school, walking happily although she was still tired and her head hurt.

Usagi got to school really early without having a klutz attack or falling. When she walked into her class she saw that there were only three people there, and they all looked up at her in shock. _Get use to it. At least for a while_. She thought as she smiled at them and headed for her seat.

_Yay! I even got here before Ami and Makoto. I wonder.._ she stopped her thought when she realized who she was thinking about. It hurt to think about them and what happened, so she decided to put it off for as long as possible.

_I'm so tired_. She thought as she yawned. _I'm going to sleep early tonight after I do my homework. Hmmm….maybe I should do my homework as soon as I get home that way I won't have to worry about it during dinner or before I go to sleep. Yeah definitely when I get home. _She thought as her fellow students started walking into the room.

She pretended to ignore or not see their shocked faces, but she was happy that they saw that she was capable of being early. She then folded her arms on the table and laid her head on them as she pretended to go to sleep, but she was really just thinking.

_Ugh! My head. It feels like it's starting to hurt more. It shouldn't start hurting more from crying yesterday, and my forehead is healing well. So I don't understand why_. She thought in frustration. _Maybe I've got a permanent headache because of that night. That night. I wonder how Baka's head is doing. I know he hit it pretty hard, and I didn't get to see him at all yesterday._

_Well I'm going to the arcade today, so maybe I'll see him there. I usually do._ She thought as she heard Ms. Haruna taking attendance. _I'm going to get a milkshake and play the Sailor V game, and I don't have to worry about going to a meeting or rushing out to a battle. Hmmm…..I wonder how I'll react if I see a youma attacking_. She thought with a slight frown.

Just then Usagi heard Ms. H say her name with a sigh as if she didn't expect an answer. "Here." She said as she lifted her head and sat up in her seat. Ms. H looked beyond shocked, but smiled after pushing her shock aside.

Once Ms. H had finished with the attendance she asked everyone to hand in their homework, and Usagi grabbed her bag, pulled out her homework, and headed to the teachers desk and handed in her homework. She noticed the gasps and shocked faces on her way, and had to hold back the smile that threatened to show on her face.

She didn't notice that two of those faces belonged to Ami and Makoto since she didn't look.

After everyone was back in their seats Ms. H began to teach the class; starting with math. Usagi pulled her notebook out and began to doodle, drawing hearts and roses in different shapes and sizes. She didn't take notes. She didn't need to since she understood everything Ms. H was saying. Of course she was listening and paying attention, but to everyone who looked it appeared that she wasn't.

"Who would like to come up?" She heard Ms. H ask after hearing chalk on the board. She didn't hear anyone volunteer as she shaded in a heart she had just finished drawing. Not even Ami. "Tsukino." She heard Ms. H call and she looked up. "I would like you to come up here and try this problem."

Usagi shifted her eyes from Ms. H to the problem on the board. She then put her pencil down, got up and walked to the board. _She probably called on me because I looked like I wasn't paying attention as always_. She thought as she reached the board. She glanced at Ms. H and saw the shock on her face. _Yup. I was right. Oh….look at all the X's and Y's._ She thought as she looked at the problem while picking up a piece of chalk.

As Usagi did the problem she thought about how glad she was that she didn't have to graph it, just solve for X and Y. When she finished the problem she did the check, and put the chalk down as she looked over her work. Then she turned around to head back to her seat and saw that the entire class looked shocked. Especially Ami, Makoto, and even Naru, but she didn't notice them as she took her seat and continued to doodle. She had only noticed in general that the class was shocked, because she didn't look closely at anyone but she did hear many gasps and exclamations.

The morning went by with Usagi's classmates being repeatedly shocked and surprised, but even so Ms. H continued to teach and class went on.

4 Hours Later…

When the lunch hour came around Usagi disappeared to the roof to eat her lunch. She didn't want to talk or be around anyone, because her head still hurt and she wasn't ready to explain her miraculous change. Plus she didn't want to take the chance of having Ami and Makoto try and talk to her. She just wanted to be alone with her food and thoughts.

But even so she wondered if they would apologize when she gave them the chance. _I know I would accept it. That's just the way I am, but they would have to admit they were wrong about me first. I would only except if they realized their mistakes and how overly mean and critical they were being._ She thought as she ate and gazed at the sky.

After lunch Usagi changed and went to her gym class. It went reasonably well. She didn't klutz out or fall, but she did have trouble with the sports that were being played. _Well I'm not good at sports anyway, so no miraculous change there_. She thought after she had changed and was on her way back to Ms. Haruna's class.

When the class was settled Ms. H surprised them by giving a 15 question pop quiz in math. Usagi looked over her copy briefly before picking up her pencil and starting. She smiled a small smile as she worked on the problems. _This is just like my homework last night._ She thought as she breezed through problem after problem remembering to show all her work and do the check.

Usagi was first to finish but only seconds before Ami. Ms. H was shocked yet again when Usagi handed her her quiz. "Usagi wait." Ms. H said and Usagi turned back to her and watched as she looked over it then began to grade it.

Ms. H looked up at her when she was done grading her quiz and smiled. Usagi smiled in return, then turned and went back to her desk. She spent the rest of the time given for the quiz alternating between doodling and watching her classmates finish and turn in their quiz.

After class Ms. H called Usagi to her desk and asked her to stay. "How did you do it?" She asked flat out as soon as the room was empty. She handed Usagi her homework that she had graded during the lunch hour, and her math quiz. She was astonished at the intellect Usagi was showing.

"I wasn't always asleep in class, and I've understood all the material so far. What I didn't understand I reviewed in my text books." She said with a tired smile. _I can't believe I'm still tired_. She thought as Ms. H spoke. "Why haven't you done this before?" She asked as she sat behind her desk.

_I wonder if I should try to explain to her why I've basically hidden my intelligence, but would she believe it or even understand_. She thought as she looked at Ms. H. _She doesn't look like she would believe it, and she certainly wouldn't understand. No one would._ She thought with a sad sigh.

"I have my reasons Ms. Haruna. I won't elaborate, because you wouldn't understand." She said in a quiet voice. Ms. H looked at her for a long moment then nodded her head, and rummaged through some files in her desk drawer and pulled out a handout and handed it to Usagi.

_This looks like an exam_. She thought as she flipped quickly through the 5 pages of the handout. "I would like you to do this along with your homework, and turn it in in three days." Usagi heard her say as she put the handout, her graded homework, and quiz in her bag. "Yes Ms. Haruna." She said and walked out of the classroom and headed for the arcade.

_Today went well_. She thought, satisfied with the reaction she got at school. _Now it's time to wow everyone at the arcade._ She thought as she walked without falling. She didn't even notice that she was walking very gracefully, so gracefully that some people actually stopped to watch her walk.

20 Minutes later…

After Usagi got to the arcade she stepped inside after the sliding doors opened and looked around. The people there looked at her like they expected her to start wailing or shouting.

_The girls aren't here, which is good. Just thinking about Rei makes my head hurt even more then it already does, but Baka isn't here either_. She thought as she made her way to the counter to get a milkshake. _Maybe it'll help my headache_. She thought as she quietly got Motoki's attention.

Usagi took a deep breath to try and get the tired look off her face, and smiled brightly as she saw the surprised look on Motoki's face. "Usagi-chan hey." He said with a smile. He had clearly been expecting a louder greeting. "Hey Motoki. Can I get a chocolate milkshake?" She asked as her smile faded into a frown when she felt pain shot through her head. She brought her hand up to her forehead and pressed it there hoping the pressure would help relieve the pain.

"Are you okay Usagi?" She heard Motoki ask in a concerned tone and realized that he saw her do that, and most likely could see the bandage. "I'm fine. I just have a headache." She said as he made her milkshake.

When he finished he handed it to her, and after she paid for it, which shocked him even more since she had an on going tab there, she went to sit in a booth in the middle part of the eating area. Once she was seated in the side facing away from the door she pulled out the handout Ms. H gave her and began to look through it while her mind wandered

Her mind almost immediately went to her decision to resign. Even though she didn't want to think about it she couldn't help it. _It was for the best. For the best of everyone involved. Plus I had to give up a lot to be Sailor Moon. I had to give up my sleeping hours, my free time, and my friendship with Naru. Things will never be the same between us even though it's not dangerous for her to be around me and I actually have time to spend with her. Maybe I shouldn't even try to fix things between us_. She thought as she sipped on her shake.

_I hadn't adjusted well to being a senshi anyway. Not like the girls had, and the way they were being lately didn't make me want to try harder_. She thought with a sigh.

_I wonder if Tuxedo Kamen knows…_ her thought trailed off as she looked up and saw Mamoru sliding into the seat on the other side of the table.

**Mamoru's POV**

Beeeeep, Beeeeep, Beeeeep.

Mamoru groaned as he rolled over and slammed a hand down on his alarm clock effectively stopping the horrible sound. As he rolled back over he found that he had two women on his mind…the princess from his dream and Usagi.

He remembered the beautiful white gown the princess wore in his dreams, and her long silver gold hair. _She's always so beautiful even if I can't see her face._ He thought as he completely woke up. Then his thoughts turned to Usagi. _This is the second morning I've woken up with Usagi on my mind. It… it feels kind of nice._ He thought with a soft smile that faded as quick as it had come. _This is Odango I'm thinking about. What am I talking about 'it feels kind of nice'? _He thought in irritation as he quickly got out of bed.

After making his bed he grabbed a quick shower and began to get dressed. _I'm going to see Odango today no matter what. Even if I have to find out where she lives and pay her a visit. At least I would know how she was doing._ He thought as he finished getting dressed and left. He decided that he would grab something to eat on his way to school.

Hours later…

After school Mamoru had gone home to pass the time since he got out early. When he was sure that Usagi's school had let out he left his apartment and walked quickly to the arcade.

He was beyond worried at this point, and had realized at school that he had never gone one day without seeing her since they met. He was shocked at how distracted he was at school from worrying about her. Especially since schoolwork always distracted him when he needed it to, but today it just wasn't working. He needed to see her; he needed to see how she was doing.

Mamoru walked into the arcade and scanned the room, and spotted those familiar golden odango's. _There she is_. He thought as he breathed a sigh of relief. _She looks fine, but you never know._ He thought as he walked to the booth she was sitting in.

_Why is she facing away from the door? That's not like her_. He thought as he sat across from her. He knew that relief was written all over his face as he looked at her, and watched as a frown formed on her face. _What is she thinking about?_ He wondered.

Usagi looked at Mamoru and watched as relief flooded his face. She frowned in confusion then remembered how she had run away from him the other night. _He must have seen the wound on my head and was worried._ She thought as she looked away from his face as she blushed in embarrassment at what she had done.

_I had to get to my friends, but still I should have said something. Well I did say I was sorry._ She thought as she sipped her milkshake to prolong the moment before she had to speak to him.

She looked back to him and saw that he was still looking at her. Then they spoke at the same time in quiet voices.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you okay?"

Usagi looked away and grabbed her milkshake and started sipping on it again. _Why am I being nice to Baka? He just showed up out of nowhere and interrupted my thoughts_. She thought with a silent sigh. _But he's worried about me; that's why I'm being nice, and I was worried about him too. Plus I'm supposed to show off the new me_. She thought and looked at him when she heard him speak.

"I'm fine. I still have a bump on the back of my head, but there's no pain…at least not until I touch it." He said. "What about you? Last time I saw you, you had blood running down your forehead." He said quietly as he looked at the bandage.

"It doesn't hurt much anymore, but it's still a few days from healing." She said just as quietly after moving her milkshake to the side away from her handout.

"And how's your head? I…I was worried that you might have a concussion." He said almost as if he were embarrassed to admit he was that worried about her.

As soon as he mentioned it her headache seemed to get worse, and she closed her eyes and grimaced in pain as she brought a hand to her forehead. "I had a pretty bad headache when it happened, and it got worse as the night went on." She said as she remembered hitting her head after saving Rei from that youma's blast.

"It got better, but then yesterday…" She trailed off as she remembered resigning and crying most of the day from all the hurtful things that were said at the meeting. "Yesterday was just not a good day and the pain came back, so today I have a bad headache and it _just_ got worse." She said with a sigh as she put her handout away. She wouldn't be looking at it again until she did her homework.

Mamoru frowned as he wondered what could have happened to her yesterday to make her headache come back. _Maybe it's an after effect of hitting her head_. He thought as he looked at her. He saw the pain in her eyes before she looked down in her shake, but he also saw sadness too. _Why is she so sad? Why do I care?_ He thought as he looked at her milkshake. "Are you sure that wound is okay Odango?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

Usagi glared at him. _I guess we can't be civil without getting on each other's nerves_. She thought and then said angrily but in a low voice "Yes Baka. I'm sure."

"Alright. Alright." He said, as his smirk got bigger. He liked that they were back to angering each other with those names, but then his smirk faded and he looked at her seriously. "But can I see…to make sure?" He asked.

Usagi looked at him in surprise. _Well he is an aspiring doctor_. She thought as she looked at him. _And how do I know that? _She asked herself wearily. "You're really that worried?" She asked, and he just looked at her. "Fine." She said curtly but in a quiet voice and leaned across the table toward him while moving her shake aside.

Mamoru reached out and rested a hand on her forehead over the bandage. _Whoa she's kind of hot. I hope she's not getting sick or something._ He thought as he placed his other hand on the side of her face to hold her steady as he began to take the bandage off slowly, so he didn't hurt her. He had to force himself to hold back a gasp as he felt like he had just been shocked by static electricity.

Usagi sucked in a quick breath as she felt a tingly electric feeling, but closed her eyes when he did that and sighed a little sadly. "No one besides you and my parents has noticed this wound. My parents only noticed because I got up early today." She said quietly.

Mamoru frowned and stopped when he had the bandage halfway off, but kept his hand on the side of her face as he spoke. "Didn't your friends notice the other night?" He asked in confusion. She had run off because they needed her, and they didn't notice that she was hurt?

"No. I made sure they didn't see." She said with her eyes still closed. It was weird talking to him like this, but she didn't have anyone else to talk to and it just sort of came out. It felt easy to talk to him some how.

"They had to have noticed the bandage yesterday and today." He said not really noticing that he still had his hand on her face. It just felt right…natural even, to have it there.

If anyone looked at them it would look like they were boyfriend and girlfriend; with him caressing her face, and the both of them leaning in close to each other over the table talking quietly.

And that is exactly how it looked when Ami, Rei, and Makoto walked into the arcade and saw them.

Usagi was about to answer him when she heard Motoki speak. "Hey Ami, Makoto, Rei. Can I get you anything?" He said and Usagi opened her eyes and found her self looking into Mamoru's ocean blue eyes.

Then they both heard Rei and that caused Mamoru to look away from Usagi's eyes. "Mamoru." Rei called in a flirty yet angry voice.

Mamoru looked back to Usagi and was surprised at the play of emotions he saw on her face, and let his hand drop from her face in his surprise as he looked to Rei who was heading toward their table.

Usagi quickly fixed her bandage and smoothed her bangs over it. "I'm outta here." She said to Mamoru as she grabbed her school bag and began to stand.

"Wait." He said in a confused voice as he wondered why she was leaving as soon as her friends had arrived. _I haven't even checked her wound yet. I need to be sure that it's healing properly if I'm going to have any peace of mind tonight_. He thought as he looked up at her.

"I'm going to the _park_ Baka since I don't quite feel like going home just yet." She said and turned and walked gracefully past her friends without a word.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru watched Usagi walk away as Rei walked up to the table. _How come none of them said anything to her? Makoto and Ami looked at her, but Rei didn't even glance at her. Actually she looks a little angry._ He thought as Rei sat down where Usagi had just been sitting.

"I see you were talking to that Odango Atama. So what were you teasing her about this time? Or did she come here to start a fight with you?" She asked in a somewhat flirty voice.

Mamoru could hear the anger and jealousy in her voice. _What's with her? I was just talking to Odango. _He thought slowly as he realized what it must have looked like when they came in and saw him and Usagi like that.

He almost smiled at that. He knew that Rei had a crush on him, and he had gone out on a couple of dates with her in his spare time hoping that she would see that they had nothing in common. _I also hoped that she would see that I wasn't interested, and back off so I wouldn't have to hurt her feelings_. He thought as he looked at her.

_I would have done it, but she's one of Odango's friends, and I'll be nice to her even if I'm not always nice to Odango. Usagi would know that I was nice, and that I'm not always mean._ He thought with a silent sigh not noticing that he had just used her name, and not wanting to analyze why exactly he wanted her to know that he could be nice.

"Neither actually. I came here to check on her." He said coolly. _Did they really not notice the bandage on her head?_ He thought.

"Why would she need to be checked on? She's not a baby, although she acts like it most of the time." Rei said with a chuckle.

Mamoru noticed Makoto and Ami sitting at a near by table talking quietly although they threw Rei some quizzical looks.

"Are you telling me that you didn't know your friend was hurt?" He asked incredulously. _Usagi was right! They hadn't noticed_. He thought as he noticed that Ami and Makoto had stopped talking and were looking at him waiting for him to continue.

"She didn't look hurt to me just now." Rei said dismissively.

_What is she talking about? She didn't even look at her! What happened between Usagi and her friends for them to act this way? Especially Rei._ He thought with a mental frown. He had noticed that ever since their first date Rei had started to slowly turn abusive toward Usagi. He remembered that it started out like how he would tease her, but she began to get much meaner and it even started to sound like she actually meant what she said.

_I know that I'm like that sometimes, but it's different with us. I just can't help myself when I'm around her, but I never mean what I say_. He thought and he suddenly felt the need to make sure Usagi knew that he didn't mean everything he said.

"We ran into each other pretty hard about two nights ago, and we were both hurt. We had hit our heads on the ground, but hers was more serious then mine. I just had a bump on the back of my head, but she had a serious gash on her forehead that was bleeding badly. She ran off saying that you all needed her, that it was an emergency before I could see if she was okay. This was the first time I had seen her since that night." He said to all three girls and stood up.

"If you'll excuse me. I'm going to try and find her since I _**still **_didn't get to see if she was really okay." He said and left the arcade. Once he was outside and about a block away he made sure that they didn't follow him. He knew by the tone that Usagi had used and by the look she had given him that she didn't want them to know where she was.

So Mamoru headed for the park. He found her, after looking for almost 20 minutes, sitting in the grass leaning against a tree with her eyes half closed. _She looks lost in thought._ He thought as he approached her.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi walked out of the arcade without a backward glance. She didn't want to be around them at the moment. She had shown Makoto and Ami some of the 'new her' and that was enough for one day. It still hurt to see them and know what they thought of her. Plus it just reminded her that she wasn't a senshi anymore, and couldn't help people in that way anymore.

She then headed for the park and thought about how she would have to get use to not being Sailor Moon anymore. _Could I really just walk or runaway if I saw a youma? I wouldn't have a choice since I handed over my broach_. She thought. _And that is exactly why I did it. So I wouldn't be tempted to change my mind, and end up getting someone killed_. She thought as she got to the park.

After walking around for a while she found a tree in the middle of the park, and sat down at its base and leaned against it.

_My headache is getting worse, and I feel more tired then I did this morning_. She thought as she relaxed against the tree. _I don't understand why I feel so tired. I got enough sleep last night._ She thought as her eyelids lowered. _Maybe I should just go home_. She thought but then reminded herself that Mamoru might come. _Well he got to see me, and saw that I was fine so maybe he might not come. But he sounded as if he didn't want me to leave, which is why I told him that I was coming here._

_If he wants to talk more then he can just come here, because I really don't want to deal with the girls. Especially Rei and her attitude_. She thought then rolled her eyes tiredly. _This is Baka I'm talking about, so he probably won't come. That's okay though; I'll just rest here for a little while before I go home_. She thought as she saw someone walking toward her.

Usagi looked up and saw that it was Mamoru. _Baka actually came_. She thought in wonder.

Mamoru sat down across from her and saw the look of surprise on her face. "What? Didn't think I would show?" He asked with a smirk.

Usagi rolled her eyes. "Well you got to see that I was okay, so I figured it was good enough. Plus I thought you would stay and chat with Rei." She said as she ran her hand slowly over the grass next to her.

"Like I said before Odango, I want to make sure that gash is healing right." He said and put his hand on her face gently like he did in the arcade and slowly removed the bandage with his other hand. _It really was as bad as I thought it was, but it's healing fast. Faster then I thought it would._ He thought as he examined the wound and tried to ignore the static electric feeling he was getting from touching her.

"Nice job cleaning this up and dressing it. I'm surprised Odango." He said in a 'wow! I can't believe you actually did this' kind of voice as he put the bandage back. _She's still hot though. I wonder if she's noticed that she has a fever._ He wondered.

Usagi glared at him although it was hard because of the tingly feeling she was getting from his touch. "It's not hard if you know what you're doing." She snapped. Her head was killing her, and she was in no mood to deal with his insults and teasing. _Why is it so hard for us to talk without teasing, arguing, or irritating each other? And why is it that when we are nice to each other it's weird, and usually ruined by someone coming along and interrupting us_. She thought with a sigh.

Mamoru sat back then stretched out in the grass in front of her. _How does Usagi know how to clean and dress a wound like that? I suppose it's common sense, but Usagi doesn't seem like the type to know how to do it. Maybe a family member helped her, but it was late and she already said that her parents didn't notice until this morning. And why does that happen every time I touch her?_ He thought as he gazed at the sky.

Usagi wondered what Mamoru was thinking about as she watched him gazing at the sky. _What is that feeling every time he touches me? And why is he still here anyway? He's checked my wound and found that it was okay, so why stay?_ She thought and then heard him speak.

"Are you not getting along with your friends?" He asked without looking at her.

Usagi blinked and looked away. _That came out of nowhere. Why does he want to know that, and why does he care? _"We're not seeing eye to eye right now." She said evasively. She could only tell him half the reason, and she wasn't up for sharing it at the moment.

Mamoru could tell by the sound of her voice that she didn't want to tell him, but when he looked at her face he saw that she looked sad and tired. _She needs to talk about whatever happened between her and her friends. They're the only friends she has; the only other people I see her talk to on a daily basis are Motoki and myself_.

_I don't think she would talk to either of us about it, but I'm going to try and get her to talk about it anyway. I don't like to see her…I mean…I don't like to see girls walking around sad and alone; especially if they have a naturally bubbly personality_.

"You should go home Odango. You look terrible; someone might mistake you for a wild animal and call animal control." He said after standing up.

Usagi gasped and glared at him. He laughed and she nearly growled at him for that insult when she stood up, but she was feeling too tired. "You're one to talk gorilla face. You should leave the park before someone calls the zoo." She said as she began to walk away from him.

"This from the girl who eats like a pot belly pig." He said with a laugh. He hadn't forgotten that he wanted her to know that he didn't really mean his insults and teasing, but he didn't know how to tell her and he couldn't seem to help what came out of his mouth when he was with her.

"You're such a Baka!" She screamed at him and stormed off momentarily forgetting how tired she was.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi didn't slow down until she was clear of the park as she walked home. It took a little over 30 minutes for her to get there because she walked slowly since she was so tired.

She looked at Shingo playing video games in the family room then went to greet her mother. After that she dragged herself up the stairs to her room, closed the door, dropped her school bag next to it, and fell face down on her bed.

_Maybe I should take a nap. No I might sleep too long and not be able to do my homework. I have to do my homework; I'm not done showing off my new self_. She thought with a sigh. _I'll rest a few minutes before I start my homework_. She thought as she rolled on her back and shifted to the center of her bed.

After she rested she changed into a pair of pink pajamas with red buttons and lining. She then pulled her star locket out of her nightstand and laid it on her floor table. Then she got her school bag, went to sit at her floor table, and pulled out her homework.

_Math, History, Literature, and this handout_. She thought as she got herself organized. _At least I don't have to deal with biology_. She thought as she opened her star locket. She hoped that the music would help sooth her headache as she began her homework.

As she did her math homework and listened to the soft melody coming from the star locket she thought about Tuxedo Kamen.

_I wonder how he's doing. I hope he's okay. I wonder if he knows yet about me quitting. Does he miss me like I miss him? What does he think about me quitting? Does he know why I did it? If he knows that I quit that is. Would he care? What if he's glad?_ She thought with a gasp and she decided to stop thinking about him for now since that last thought hurt.

Usagi had completed her math and history homework by the time her mom came to her room to let her know that dinner was ready. "That is such a beautiful melody. Where did you get it?" Her mother asked as they descended the stairs. "Yes. Yes it is. I uhhh…got it from a friend." Usagi said quietly as they entered the kitchen. She wasn't that hungry so she didn't eat as much as her family ate, and listened as they talked about their day.

After dinner she said goodnight to her parents and went back to her room to finish her homework. Once inside her room she sat down at her floor table and opened her star locket with a sad sigh. Then started her literature homework.

When she was done with that she started on the 5-page handout. _This isn't going to take me the whole three days. I don't even think it's going to take me three hours._ She thought with a yawn as she skimmed through the pages. It was a mixer of questions that resembled homework and tests from all the subjects she was learning.

It took her 40 minutes to finish the handout, and she gathered all her homework together and put it in her school bag. Then she stacked her textbooks and let her hair down. She then closed her locket and put it back in her nightstand, set her alarm for 6am, turned her light off and climbed into her bed.

_My head still hurts. If it still hurts when I wake up I'm going to take some aspirin_. She thought as she took a deep breath. She immediately started coughing. _I hate coughing, and my throat feels scratchy. Oh no!_ She thought with a sad frown_. I'm getting sick. I can't even remember the last time I was sick._ She thought as she closed her eyes.

Usagi feel asleep almost as soon as her eyes closed. She still hadn't realized that she had a fever.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru watched as Usagi stormed away then turned in the opposite direction and headed home.

_I hope she goes straight home. She should be at home resting with the temperature she's running_. He thought as he walked through the park. _You've seen that she's okay, and now you have something else about her to worry about._ He thought, mentally shaking his head in slight exasperation. _But at least I got to see her and tease her._ He thought just as he heard screaming.

He knew the sound of those screams and knew that a youma was attacking. He looked around to make sure he was alone then he pulled a perfect red rose from his subspace pocket, transformed and headed toward the screams.

When he got there he saw people running away and saw that the Senshi were already there…well not all of them. He quickly noticed that Sailor Moon wasn't there and that brought a frown to his face. _I know that she can be late sometimes, but I just don't have a good feeling about it and I still haven't felt her transform yet_. He thought as he watched the Senshi fight what looked like a thick deformed-looking tree from behind the tree that was his cover.

Tuxedo Kamen wondered when Sailor Moon would show up to dust the youma or change it back into a human as he watched Sailor Mercury typing furiously into her computer while alternating between looking at the youma and the Senshi, and watched as Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter were having trouble with the youma.

As the minutes went by Tuxedo Kamen thought that they were keeping it busy until Sailor Moon got there, but she still hadn't shown up and they looked tired. Mercury had put her computer away and joined the fight, but they were still having trouble with the youma.

_I have to help them now even though Sailor Moon isn't here yet. She would never forgive me if I stood by and let her Senshi get hurt_. He thought as he stepped away from the tree and out into the open. He then began to throw rose after rose at the youma, piercing it with their sharp points, causing it to scream in anger and pain.

He looked at the Senshi as he walked up to them and saw clearly how drained they looked. _What are they doing? Trying to defeat the youma themselves?!_ He thought, and as soon as he thought that he felt a sad sinking feeling in his stomach and knew that something was not right.

Sailor Moon wasn't there and they looked like they were trying to defeat it themselves. _Why?_ He asked himself as he helped them defeat the youma by combining their attacks and his roses, and that was only after Sailor Mercury informed him that the youma wasn't human.

"Where is Sailor Moon?" He asked as soon as the youma had turned to dust. He watched as they all got quiet and he frowned. Then just as Sailor Mercury was about to say something Sailor Mars spoke.

"She quit because she couldn't handle being a senshi anymore. She wasn't doing a good job anyway." She said in a tired yet irritated voice.

Tuxedo Kamen watched at Sailor Mercury glared at her then turned back to him. "She resigned yesterday. We all had an argument, and …" She was cut short by Sailor Mars.

"You can't tell him. We can't trust him." She hissed. "Get over it Mars. I'm not telling him about the rainbow crystals. I'm telling him about Sailor Moon. Someone he's known longer then we have." Sailor Mercury said in an 'I'm sick and tired of your bull' kind of voice.

"He hasn't known her longer than…" Mercury cut her off. "He's known her longer as a senshi. She was the first of us remember? Or have you forgotten?" Mercury said then turned back to him. "We all hadn't been getting along well…at least we weren't getting along with her, and we all said some things that I won't repeat. She said that she was a terrible leader and an even worse senshi." She said sadly. He could tell she felt really bad about it.

Tuxedo Kamen couldn't believe what he was hearing. _She resigned?_ He thought in kind of numb shock. "Are you sure that she was serious?" He asked hoping that she was just angry right now, and would continue to fight.

"She handed over everything that made her Sailor Moon, so we know that she was serious. She said she didn't want to be responsible for any of us or any innocent humans getting killed." Sailor Jupiter said as she came and stood next to Mercury.

Tuxedo Kamen wasn't sure how to react to any of this, and the first thing that came into his mind was the last battle he was at. "This isn't just about what happened at the fight near the temple the other night is it?" He asked.

"How do you know about that? You weren't even there." Sailor Mars said in an irritated voice.

"I _was_ there actually. I got there seconds after Sailor Moon, and saw everything that happened." He said in a calm cool voice. "I can't believe that you all ganged up on her. I felt like I was the only one to see what she saw." He said angrily.

"None of saw you jumping in to help." She said, her anger rising.

"There wasn't time. Did you listen to nothing Sailor Moon said? _I_ didn't even have time to shout a warning. If Sailor Moon hadn't acted you both would be dead." He said harshly and saw that she had the good grace to look ashamed. "I swear I was so proud of her when I realized that she had gotten both you and herself out of the way of the after shock of the blast when it hit the ground." He said, the praise for the absent warrior clear in his voice.

"Can I ask why you always look so irritated and annoyed when you have to save Sailor Moon?" Jupiter asked. She couldn't help it. She had to know why he always looked that way. It just didn't add up with how he was acting now, and how Usagi always said that he wasn't the enemy; that she could feel it. Why did he look that way when he was saving her, but speak so passionately now in her defense?

"Yeah. You don't seem to like saving her anymore than I do." Mars said and Mercury, Jupiter, and Tuxedo Kamen gaped at her.

_Is she serious?!_ He thought with incredulous anger as he was some how reminded of Rei. He didn't know what Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter thought, but they were clearly as shocked as he was. _Jupiter and Mercury's feelings seem to have changed since the last time I saw them_. He thought briefly before answering.

"I'm irritated with the enemy for always attacking her and using her weaknesses against her. I like saving her just fine, and even if I didn't like it I don't have a choice." He said and began to walk away.

"What do you mean you don't have a choice?" Sailor Mercury asked quickly.

He stopped and turned back to them. "It's been an instinct inside me for as long as I can remember. I can't help but act on it. Plus, I couldn't stand to see anything happen to her." He said and turned to walk away but stopped when Sailor Mercury spoke again.

"Sailor Moon wanted us to tell you something the next time we saw you." She said as she glanced at Sailor Jupiter who nodded her head for her to continue. "She said that she'll miss you, and that she wished she could have seen you one last time." She finished softly.

Tuxedo Kamen stood there as he felt joy, sorrow, anger, and pain wash over him then he walked away without a word. When he was out of site of the Senshi but still in the park he de-transformed.

The sun had set during the battle so there weren't many people out, but even so he wanted to get home quick. He wouldn't allow himself to think about what he had just learned until he did.

Once Mamoru was at home and away from anyone who might see, he collapsed in front of the window to his balcony in the living room. He couldn't understand why he was reacting this way. _Do I really like Sailor Moon that much?_ He thought and knew that the answer was yes.

His feelings for Sailor Moon had been growing since he first laid eyes on her in that jewelry store. He could clearly remember that night. He could picture the fondness and adoration in her eyes even though they had just met, and the feeling that he got from knowing that she was safe because of him and how she had looked at him was amazing.

He just couldn't believe that he would never see that look in her eyes again, and to know that she would miss him and had wished to see him again made him happy and sad all at once. It also confirmed his suspicion and hope that she had been developing feelings for him as well.

_I wish I knew who she really was_. He thought as he wondered what made her resign. He knew that it couldn't just be her fear of himself and the Senshi getting killed. _It just couldn't be. There has to be more to it._ He thought then remembered what Mercury said about her thinking she was a bad leader and an even worse senshi.

He felt like breaking something in frustration_. How did she come to that conclusion about herself? It's not true at all!_ He thought as he remembered again the last battle he had seen her at and wondered if he had went after her that night and talked to her if it would have helped.

_Would she still be Sailor Moon?_ He thought but reminded himself about Usagi. _But Usagi was hurt and it was really late and she needed me. They both needed me._ He thought sadly and absently thought about how strange it was for Usagi and Sailor Moon to have problems with their friends at the same time.

As Mamoru thought about these things he managed to pull himself together and eat and get ready for bed since he knew that he was in no mood to study, and that he would wake up early from his reoccurring dream about the princess.

_I'm going to have to speak to the Senshi more before I do anything. I'm not sure if they plan on getting Sailor Moon back, but I'm going to try and talk some sense into them so that they do. They know who she really is, so they would have a better chance at getting her to come back_. He thought as he got in bed.

_The locket!_ He thought suddenly. _She still has the star locket I gave her. It'll bring us back together again I'm sure_. He thought as he closed his eyes and tried to relax enough to fall asleep.

_I wonder how Usagi is doing. I hope she took care of that fever_. He thought as he fell asleep and straight into a foggy dream with his princess.


	5. Sudden Sickness

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

_**Author's Note**__**: Edited: 12/19/09**_

Sudden Sickness

Usagi woke up the next morning to the sound of her alarm going off feeling more tired then she normally would at that time. Her head still hurt and her throat was scratchier then it was the night before.

She got up and began to make her bed quickly. Suddenly she felt pain shoot through her head, and she put a hand on her forehead in reaction. _Oh no! A fever_. She thought with a sad look on her face. _Why me?_ She thought with a groan as she finished making her bed then headed for a quick shower.

As she showered she noticed that the effort was making her tired, so tired that she could hardly stand under the water. After she finished and dried off she dressed in her uniform and took some aspirin for her headache then headed back to her room.

Once inside she sat in the chair at her vanity table and began to brush her hair. _Look at me. I look so tired, but I don't look sick so that's good._ She thought as she brushed her hair. _I can't be sick. This is just something that will pass. Yeah. It'll pass and I'll be fine by lunchtime._ She thought as she put her hair in its usual style. She looked in the mirror when she was done and didn't believe anything she had just thought.

Usagi then left her room and went down to the kitchen. Both her parents were there and they were again surprised to see her up so early, but she ignored their shocked faces and poured herself some orange juice. She wasn't hungry or thirsty but she thought she should have something in her stomach to go with the aspirin.

As she drank her orange juice Shingo walked into the kitchen with a tired look on his face that quickly turned to shock when he saw her standing there. "I must be dreaming if Usagi is up." He said and she ignored him as she finished her orange juice in silence.

She then dragged herself back up stairs to grab her school bag then back down stairs to the kitchen to grab her lunch.

"You okay Usagi? You don't look happy or cheerful like you always do. I know it's early, but still…it's not like you." Her father said in a concerned voice.

"I have a headache, but I took some aspirin so I'll be okay." She said and he seemed satisfied with that, so she said goodbye, went to slip her shoes on and then left.

Usagi walked to school slow at first, but she forced herself to walk faster. She had left early but at the rate she was walking she would end up being late.

She got to school later then she did the day before, but she was still early so she was okay with that. She didn't smile or look at anyone as she made her way to her seat. When she reached her seat she sat down heavily, put her head on the desk, and closed her eyes.

_Ugh! I feel like crap. I hope the day goes by fast._ She thought with a tired sigh. _I'm going to have to make sure I don't walk around too much. No getting up to do problems on the board. I'm staying right here during lunch, and gym is out of the question_. She thought and then decided to stop thinking, and just focus on the blackness behind her eyes until class started to try and ease the pain in her head.

Usagi could hear her fellow students coming in and greeting each other, and then she heard Ms. H begin attendance. When she heard her name she sat up. "Here." She said and her throat felt scratchier then it did when she woke up.

When Ms. H asked them to turn in their homework Usagi had to bit her lip to keep herself from groaning_. I forgot about that. If I had remembered I would have prepared myself to get up and walk to the front of the class_. She thought as she pulled her homework and the handout from her bag and stood up.

Everyone was shocked again to see that she had done her homework. She had to force herself to walk and look like she wasn't tired and feeling unwell; she didn't want them to know she was getting sick, and she didn't even know why.

_I don't even know why I'm getting sick in the first place. I've kept warm when it was cold, and no one around me is sick so why is this happening? _She thought as she handed Ms. H her work. Ms. H was surprised that she had completed the handout, but she was happy as well.

Once everyone was back in their seats and settled Ms. H began to teach the class. Usagi leaned back in her seat and drew half-heartedly in her notebook as she listened to Ms. H discuss microscopic organisms.

_Maybe I should try and tune all this biology talk out. I feel like it's making my headache worse, but no. I can't. This subject is difficult for me so I have to pay attention; I can't zone out._ She thought as she drew a storm cloud at the bottom of a sheet of paper on her notebook.

About an hour before lunch Ms. H decided to give the class a break. Usagi closed her notebook, crossed her arms over it, and put her head down. As she made herself comfortable and tried desperately to tune out all the loud chatter she felt a light tap on her arm.

_Go away!_ She thought with a sigh. "Yes?" She said softly without bringing her head up or moving at all for that matter.

"Ummm…can we talk Usagi-chan?" She heard a quiet voice ask.

_Ami?_ She thought in surprise. _I'm not prepared for this; I didn't think she would want to talk this soon. Maybe she just wants to talk about class work_. She thought as she turned her head toward her and opened her eyes.

She saw that Ami looked a little sad and shy. That look reminded her of how Ami had acted during the meeting the day she resigned and of all the things she had said, and a wave of irritation flowed through her but she was willing to hear her. "Sure." She said as she blinked her eyes.

"Well I noticed how you've been coming to school early and handing in your homework, and then the pop quiz was just amazing. You finished before me and from the look on Ms. H's face I'd say you past it too." Ami said with a flash of excitement in her voice. "I'm not trying to be mean or anything; I'm actually really happy, but how did you do it? You never studied. You didn't even like to hear the word." Ami said.

Usagi looked at Ami for a long moment wondering what to say and wondering if her irritation would go away after she had spoken. "Just because I didn't study doesn't mean I don't know anything." She said with a sigh. "I did it the same way everyone else did. I paid attention in class and retained the information." She said and Ami looked surprised. "Just because I didn't look like I was paying attention doesn't mean I wasn't." She said with a sigh.

"Then how come only now? Why haven't you been doing this all along?" Ami asked and then she seemed to remember something. "You're doing this because of what we said."

"That is correct. I decided to show you, you who I called my best friends, that I was not the dumb blond you all assumed me to be. You know…it hurt a lot to know that my friends cared more about my grades then they did about me as a person. You all only cared enough to criticize, but never enough to ask why I did the things I did." She said as she sat up and began to rub her fingers in a circular motion on both sides of her head.

"And the answer is, because I didn't feel like doing it until now. I have other reasons of course, but you wouldn't understand." She said quietly.

Ami was quiet for a few moments then Usagi heard what sounded like a quiet cry, and she looked at Ami who was looking down at her lap.

"I'm so sorry Usagi." Ami said as she looked up with unshed tears in her eyes.

Usagi looked at her, sad because she was sad, but was unwilling to accept her apology until she was sure Ami was ready to give it. "Why are you sorry Ami-chan?" She asked quietly as she looked at her.

Ami blinked as she looked at her with a slightly confused look. "I'm sorry for saying that you always sleep in class and don't do your homework, and don't study, and I'm sorry for what I said and how I behaved the night you got that injury on your head." Ami said.

Usagi frowned slightly at that last part. _What? Did she notice all of a sudden, and how did she know when I got this? _She thought and Ami must have understood her frown because she spoke again.

"Mamoru told us what happened yesterday after you left the arcade." Ami said.

_That baka_. She thought softly. "Is that all you're sorry for Ami? You're sorry because now you know that I pay attention in class and can do my homework." She said as she closed her eyes and shook her head slowly.

"No. I'm sorry for everything." Ami said quickly.

Usagi looked back to her with a frown. _She can't be serious! She's sorry for everything? She doesn't even know what she's sorry for_. She thought. "No you're not." She said and watched as Ami looked shocked. "You can't be sorry for everything if you don't know what you did. Sorry Ami but a general apology won't work this time. I won't accept it until you understand why you're saying it and mean it." She said.

"Go back and think about how you've been behaving toward me and about the things you've said. Think about this moment and what you have learned. Then when you really understand why you're sorry come talk to me again." She finished just as Ms. H announced that the break was over.

Class continued until lunch and Usagi didn't look at Ami or even glance at Makoto. If they were going to apologize they would have to talk to her separately and know why they were sorry before she would accept it. She hoped they would come up with the answers on their own instead of consulting with each other.

Usagi stayed in the classroom along with a few others who wanted to eat lunch there. _Ugh! I feel terrible_. She whined as she rested her head on the table and closed her eyes. She ended up falling asleep and was startled out of it by the sound of the bell announcing the end of lunch.

She hadn't planned on participating in gym but she had planned on going. Now she wasn't feeling well enough to go; she didn't even feel well enough to stay at school, so she slowly made her way to the main office and asked to be excused to go home.

They could see that she wasn't looking too good, but they had to ask anyway. "What's wrong dear?" A chubby secretary asked.

"I've got a killer headache, I think I have a fever, my throat hurts, and I'm tired." She said as she leaned against the counter that separated the staff from the students.

"Okay. Is there someone at home to take care of you?" The secretary asked.

"Yes. My mother is there." She said and the secretary asked her name and who her class teacher was. "Can you not tell Ms. H that I'm leaving because I'm sick? I don't want her to worry or think I'm not going to be here tomorrow." She said and to her relief the secretary said she wouldn't, but that it would be in the records if she wanted to look.

After Usagi left the school grounds she was only able to get to the arcade before she had to stop and rest.

_I'm so tired, and I'm getting weak_. She thought as she stepped into the quiet arcade after the glass doors opened. She walked over to the counter and sat down in one of the chairs.

"Usagi-chan I'm happy to see you, but aren't you suppose to be at school?" Motoki asked after she had sat down.

"Yes. I have a really bad headache though, so I left early. I'm going home but I just needed to rest a bit." She said as she put an arm on the table and laid her head on it.

"You're sure it's just a headache." Motoki asked with a concerned look on his face and in his voice.

"Yes I'm fine. It's just a headache." She said. She was too tired to put any heart into it, so she saw that he wasn't buying it. He didn't say anything but she saw that he was keeping any eye on her as he tended his other costumers.

After a few minutes she felt rested enough to continue on home, so she said goodbye to Motoki, giving him one last assurance that she was fine, and then left the arcade.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru's alarm went off and as he turned it off he noticed that for once he wasn't thinking about the Princess from his dreams even though he had just dreamed about her.

His mind immediately went to Usagi and Sailor Moon. _I wonder if Usagi was able to take care of that fever. I hope she got enough sleep. She looked so tired yesterday_. He thought and he remembered what happened during the time he spent with her, and how it was him spending time with her instead of her friends.

_How am I going to get her to talk about what happened between her and her friends? I don't know how I'm going to do it, but I have time to figure it out before I see her at the arcade. Hmm…Motoki might have an idea of how to get her to talk. I'll ask him when I get to the arcade_. He thought. _I get out early today so I should have a few hours to talk to him before Usagi shows up_.

He then got out of bed and made it really quick before he jumped in the shower. As he showered his thoughts turned toward Sailor Moon.

_I still can't believe she's not going to fight anymore_. He thought with a sigh. _She must have thought she wasn't worthy to be a senshi, which is a load of bull. I wish I could talk to her._ He thought in frustration.

_I wish I had gone after her that night. I might have been able to prevent this. I'm not sorry I went after Usagi though, especially after seeing that gash up close, but I still wish I had been able to talk to her_. He thought.

Mamoru began to wonder when he was going to come across the Sailor Senshi again. He knew that without Sailor Moon he couldn't be at all the battles, but he needed to know more about what happened between them and Sailor Moon and if they planned to try and get her back.

_I wish I could contact them somehow. That way I could possibly get a message to Sailor Moon. Maybe I could write her a letter. I'd have to ask Sailor Mercury to give it to her_. He thought. He would only trust Sailor Mercury to give her the letter without reading it, because he knew that she was a kind and honest person. It was still hard for him to believe that she and Sailor Moon weren't getting along.

He then finished his shower, dried off, and got dressed. He made himself a quick breakfast, ate, grabbed his books and left.

4 hours later…

Mamoru got out of class at 12pm and headed for the library at his school to try and do some quick studying before he went to see Motoki, but as soon as he found and empty table and sat down he had an intense urge to leave

_What?! Why do I feel this way? I just got here_. He thought, bewildered as he got back to his feet and left the library. _I wouldn't have been able to concentrate anyway. Not with my mind going back and forth between Usagi and Sailor Moon_. He reasoned as he headed home.

After Mamoru got home he dropped his books off and left, heading straight for the arcade. He had thought about eating, but decided against it since he wasn't really hungry.

_I hope Motoki is on his break. Not like it's going to stop me if he isn't though_. He thought as he walked. His thoughts then turned toward the message he wanted to get to Sailor Moon, and what he would say or write. _Maybe I should write the letter even if I can't get it to her. I'm sure it would help me deal with my feelings about her liking me, and her not being Sailor Moon anymore._ He thought as he reached the arcade.

As he walked into the arcade he found Motoki standing behind the counter with a troubled look on his face that quickly turned to relief when he saw him approaching.

"What's wrong Motoki?" He asked as he walked up to the counter.

"Mamoru? I need you to do me a big favor. I'm worried about Usagi." He said and Mamoru paid closer attention. "She was just in here a few minutes ago, and she didn't look too good. I was wondering if you could go after her and make sure she gets home okay?" Motoki asked.

Mamoru had so many thoughts flying through his head, but they would have to wait until he got some answers. "What is she doing out of school this early?" He asked.

"She said she had a headache so she was going home early but I think it's more then that. I would go after her but you know I can't leave here, and I've noticed that you two seem to be getting along a little better." Motoki said.

"Yeah we have." Mamoru said as he wondered how far she could have gotten. "Don't worry about it Motoki. I'll find her and make sure she gets home okay." He said and he left the arcade quickly, heading in the direction where they usually ran into each other since he didn't know where she lived.

Mamoru ran for a few minutes until he ended up in the residential area. He rounded a corner and he saw her pushing away from the wall and begin to walk slowly. _Look at her. She looks so weak._ He thought as a wave of sadness washed over him. He blinked in response, but decided to ponder his reaction later.

Just as he was about to call out to her he saw her swaying slightly and hurried to her. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist to stop her from falling to the ground.

**Usagi's POV**

As Usagi walked home she struggled to stay up right. She was so tired and weak that it was becoming difficult. _I have to hurry and get home before I get too weak to walk_. She thought and she forced herself to walk faster.

It was difficult but she managed to make it to the edge of her neighborhood. The only problem was she had tired herself out, and her fever was getting worse. She was so hot that her forehead was sweating. She wiped her forehead with her right hand and leaned against the wall on her left side with her other hand to help keep her balance as she walked. Her head was pounding and she was beginning to feel lightheaded.

_I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it all the way home_. She thought just as she began to see little black spots. _Oh no! I have to get home. I have to try_. She thought as she blinked rapidly to clear her vision.

Usagi then pushed away from the wall and began to walk slowly. She had only taken a few steps before her lightheadedness got worse and she began to collapse.

Then she suddenly felt strong arms wrapping around her waist, and she automatically put her right arm over them as she regained her balance. She then felt herself being pulled against the person and she let out a small gasp.

She turned her head and looked up to see Mamoru looking down at her with surprisingly soft eyes.

"M-Mamoru?" She said tiredly. "Where did you come from?" She asked, not really caring. She was too tired, and disconcerted by the look in his eyes.

Mamoru looked down at Usagi's face and saw that Motoki was right. She looked sick. Her face was pink bordering on red, her forehead was covered in sweat, and her eyelids were low as if she were having trouble keeping her eyes open. He also noticed that she was really hot; he could feel the heat coming through both their clothes.

_Usagi. How did this happen?_ He thought softly. "I came from the arcade. Motoki was worried about you and he asked me to make sure you got home okay." He said, and then added, "Look at you. Why did you go to school if your were sick?" He asked as he slowly loosened his hold on her. She started to collapse again, so he tightened his hold on her.

"I wasn't feeling like this, this morning. At least it wasn't this severe. Plus I _had_ to go." She said tiredly. "Ugh. I don't feel good." She said quietly.

Mamoru sighed. "I've gotta get you home. You need to be in bed." He said as he picked her up bridal style. He knew that she wouldn't be able to walk.

Usagi gasped as Mamoru picked her up and began to walk. She didn't say anything as she laid her school bag and lunch on her lap since she knew that she wouldn't be able to make it home on her own.

_Call me crazy, but this feels familiar. It feels exactly the same as all the times Tuxedo Kamen carried me._ She thought as she glanced up at Mamoru. _It's probably just the fever making me feel this way._ She thought, but she couldn't shake the feeling as she leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes.

Mamoru looked down at Usagi as she leaned her head against his chest. He smiled, liking the feeling of her leaning on him like that. He also liked the fact that she felt comfortable enough with him to relax like that. He knew that it was probably because she was tired, but even so- he had a feeling that it was more then that.

As he walked he was reminded of Sailor Moon. The way he was carrying Usagi and how she leaned on him was exactly how Sailor Moon did. _Weird_. He thought, but he wasn't complaining. In fact, it brought the smile back to his face.

"Ummm….Usagi?" He said as she slowed to a stop.

"Humm?" She murmured, keeping her eyes closed. She was almost asleep since the combination of her weakened/ tired state and the rhythm of his walking had lulled her into a relaxed sleepy state.

"I have no idea where I'm going. Where do you live?" He asked softly, realizing that she was falling asleep. _She must be really tired_. He thought as she gazed at her.

Usagi opened her eyes and looked around then closed them and put her head back against in his chest. "When you get to the end of this block turn left, walk two blocks, and when you get to the third block my house will be the fifth one on that block." She said sleepily.

"Okay." He said as he continued to walk. He then began to wonder again how she got sick when she had been fine a few days ago.

_Maybe it happened that night we ran into each other_. He thought as he remembered how she was only wearing her pajamas and was bare foot. _I'm glad she had the presence of mind not to stay at school in her condition. I'm not sure she would have made it as far as she did if she had waited until she got out of school._ He thought.

_I wonder if her friends know she's sick. I know she goes to school with two of them since they always showed up at the arcade together, but I don't know if they're in the same class or not_. He thought as he continued to walk.

As Usagi relaxed and rested in Mamoru's arms she could hear his heartbeat and it was helping her fall asleep. She wondered what he would have been doing at that moment had he not gone to the arcade, and she suddenly felt bad.

_I might be keeping him from something important_. "I'm sorry." She said without opening her eyes, and Mamoru looked down at her. "I'm sure you have more important things to do right now instead of carrying me around." She said quietly.

_She's sorry?! I've never known her to be concerned about keeping me from something important or from anything for that matter. It's not like her. Or maybe it is and I just don't get to see it because we're always arguing_. "Don't worry about it. I was just going to hangout at the arcade since I couldn't study." He said as he reached the third block.

"How come you couldn't study?" She asked.

"I don't know actually. I just couldn't find my concentration for some reason." He said.

"Well I hope you don't have any tests coming up. Ugh! I hope I don't either." She said. The fact that she wasn't going to able to go to school the next day had just come to her.

"I hope so too. Well this is it. I think." He said as he stopped in front of a house with two balconies.

Usagi opened her eyes and looked at the house. "Yeah this is my house." She said and he walked up to the front door. She held her school bag and lunch with her left hand and reached out with her right hand to turn the doorknob and pull the door open. It was usually unlocked when her mom was home.

After they were inside with the door closed she called out to her mom and began to cough from the scratchy feeling in her throat. She noticed that it had gotten worse, and it hurt to swallow.

"Are you okay?" Mamoru asked in concern. She hadn't coughed once the whole way there, and she looked like she was in pain.

"Yeah." She said when she could breath again. "It's just I have a sore throat. It feels scratchy and it hurts. It's gotten worse since this morning." She said as her mom came down the stairs.

Mrs. Tsukino gasped at the site before her, and paused on the stairs momentarily. "Oh my god! What happened?" She asked as she rushed down the stairs.

Usagi opened her mouth and grimaced as she took a breath to speak. Taking that breath had hurt her throat and she had to struggle to keep herself from coughing.

Mamoru saw that, so he spoke for her. "I'm Chiba Mamoru. I'm a friend of Usagi's. I came across her on her way home from school. She said she wasn't feeling well, and I could tell that she didn't have the strength to make it on her own so I carried her here." He said and he saw Usagi nodding her head.

"Oh thank you so much for bringing her home." Her mother said to Mamoru, then looked at Usagi and put a hand on her face. "Oh my! We need to get you in bed right now." She said and Usagi sighed tiredly. "Please. Her room is this way." She said, gesturing up the stairs.

Mamoru nodded his head and slipped out of his shoes, then began to follow her up the stairs.

Usagi was feeling lightheaded again, then she began to see the black spots again, and her vision started to get blurry like tunnel vision. She gripped Mamoru's jacket and tugged slightly. She knew something was wrong.

Mamoru looked down at Usagi as he paused between steps and saw the fear in her eyes.

"Something's wrong." She whispered as she kept a firm grip on his jacket and looked into his eyes. The tunnel vision was getting worse, and everything was starting to go black as she looked into Mamoru's eyes.

Mamoru watched as her eyelids slowly lowered until they closed, and he felt her body suddenly go limp in his arms. "Usagi?" He said, his voice thick with worry.

Usagi had fallen unconscious.


	6. To Understand and Undertake

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

**In loving memory of  
****David Earby Jr.  
****1979 - 2008**

_**Author's Note**__**: Edited: 12/19/09**_

To Understand and Undertake

"Usagi?" Mamoru whispered. "Usagi?" He called louder and still there was no answer. He was sure now that she had blacked out, and he began to run up the rest of the stairs. Once at the top he saw Mrs. Tsukino standing next to a door and he hurried toward it, guessing that that was Usagi's room. He entered her room, walked to her bed, and gently laid her down.

"What happened?" Mrs. Tsukino asked with alarm in her voice and worry coursing through her as she stood at Usagi's bedside next to Mamoru.

"She passed out." Mamoru said as he tried to pull back after laying Usagi down, but even in unconsciousness she would not let him go so he stayed bent over her. He felt her forehead and face and realized that she was burning up. _Her fever!_ He thought with a frown as he forced himself to stay calm in front of her mother. "Can you please get me a bowl of cold water and a small cloth? We need to get her temperature down." He said to Mrs. Tsukino and watched as she nodded her head and hurried from the room.

Mamoru could barely move from the position he was in, so he squirmed out of his jacket and laid it over her since she wouldn't let it go. He then moved her school bag and lunch to the floor, took her shoes off, and tried to make her as comfortable as he could while he waited for her mother to come back.

Mrs. Tsukino came back into the room and placed the bowl of water on Usagi's left nightstand next to her clock, and handed Mamoru the cloth.

"Thank you." Mamoru said as he got on his knees and put the cloth in the water. He pushed up his sleeves then wrung out the water and began to gently wipe Usagi's face and forehead to try and cool her down.

Ikuko looked on from the other side of Usagi's bed at a loss. She was glad that Mamoru seemed to know what he was doing because she didn't. None of her children had ever been this sick before, and she probably would have called 911 in her panic. Even in her worried state she noticed how gently and tenderly he touched her daughter. She had wondered, when she first came back into the room, why Mamoru had taken his jacket off, but then she saw the firm grip that Usagi had on it and if the situation hadn't been so serious she would have smiled a warm knowing smile.

Mamoru continued to wipe Usagi's face with the cloth, repeatedly putting it in the water to cool it. He also started to press the cloth against her neck to help the cooling process. After twenty minutes he felt her temperature lower and said as much to Mrs. Tsukino to ease her fears, then placed the cloth on her forehead and left it there.

He then sat back slightly and noticed her shivering. "Can you help me get her in bed?" He asked Mrs. Tsukino. _She may have a fever, but she still needs to be under the covers_. He thought as he picked her up and cradled her in his arms while her mother pulled the covers back. He then laid her back down and they pulled the covers over her.

"I'm sorry she's got your jacket." Mrs. Tsukino said as she watched his jacket disappear under the covers.

"That's okay." He said. He really didn't mind. It gave him a reason to stay…or another reason since he wasn't going anywhere until she woke up. He couldn't just leave after seeing the fear in her eyes. He then sat back, crossed his arms on the side of her bed and rested his chin on them and began to watch her.

"I should call her father and let him know what's happening." He heard Mrs. Tsukino say and watched her leave. He then re-wet the cloth and placed it back on Usagi's forehead, and then began to look around her room.

_I can't believe I'm in Odango's bedroom. Who would have ever thought this would happen._ He thought as he took in all the details around him. _Her room is neater then I thought it would be._ He thought as he got up and put her school bag and lunch on the floor table where her textbooks were neatly stacked from largest to smallest.

Mamoru looked at the white curtains at the sides of the doors to her balcony, and found himself wondering how much time she spent out on it. He then looked at her vanity table, as he knelt on his knees next to her bed, and saw her comb and brush neatly placed to one side and a few tubes of what he guessed to be either lip gloss or lipstick. He then got off his knees and sat with his back pressed against her bed as his eyes roamed over her closet door and her floor.

_I thought she would have clothes all over the place and comic books scattered everywhere_. He thought as he looked to the door and saw her mom walk into the room.

"I just got off the phone with Usagi's father and I informed him of the situation. I told him a friend brought her home." Mrs. Tsukino said as she walked to the other side of Usagi's bed. She gazed at her and fussed over her blankets, wishing there was something she could do.

"Is it okay if I stay until Usagi wakes up? I just want to make sure with my own eyes that she's okay." Mamoru said.

"Of course you can stay. It's completely okay." Ikuko said and with one more look at Usagi she left and went to the kitchen to start making Usagi and Shingo a snack. She knew that Shingo would be home from school soon, and that Usagi might be hungry when she woke up. Plus she wanted to make something to give to Mamoru to show how grateful she was to him for helping Usagi get home and helping to take care of her.

_I wonder how Usagi will feel when she wakes up_. Mamoru thought as he leaned against her bed, letting his eyes wander but not really seeing anything. Suddenly he heard mumbling and he turned quickly to look at Usagi. He feared for a moment that her fever was getting worse and that she might be delirious.

He got on his knees and re-wet the cloth, and as he was replacing it on her forehead he noticed that her mumbling had turned into words and he realized that she was just dreaming.

"No…don't go." He heard her say quietly. "Please…please don't leave me." He frowned at that. "I can't…" He listened carefully but he was only getting a few words. It was as if the rest of the words were lost between her dream and reality. "No! No!" He heard her say anxiously, and the look that came across her face was of pure pain and sorrow and he couldn't take it anymore. He leaned over her slightly and began to shake her gently but firmly, and he watched as her eyes flew open.

* * *

_She opened her eyes slowly and found herself lying on a very soft bed with sheer curtains in the softest of white hanging around the bed. She sat up and looked around her dark room. It was a large, very large room with silver gray marble floors, so shinny that you could see your reflection in them. Her eyes then came to rest on a large balcony to the left of her bed._

_She slid over to the edge of the bed, parted the sheer curtains, and slipped into her shoes and got to her feet. Her white gown flowed down and covered her shoes even though she was wearing heels. She then walked over to the balcony doors, opened them, and stepped out into the night air. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the perfect circular shape of the Earth with it's brilliant blue shading, and sighed- content with the beautiful sight._

"_Serenity!" She heard a familiar voice call from below and her eyes shifted to the tall figure standing there in a navy blue-gray uniform complete with armor, sword, and cape._

"_Endymion." She breathed with a smile gracing her face._

"_I hope I did not keep you waiting long." He said._

"_Not at all. I shall come down right now." She said and turned around quickly, her long silver gold hair swirling around her. She then took her dress in her hands and pulled it up slightly so she wouldn't step on it, and ran into her room and headed for the door. Once she was outside her room she ran down the long hall, her heels clicking on the marble floor._

'_If mother catches me running I'll be in for a long lecture on the etiquette of ladylike manners, and then another on how a Princess should behave.' She thought, but she didn't pause in the slightest. She didn't care if her mother caught her. It would be worth it as long as she got to see Endymion. She had been waiting to see him all day, and had decided to take a short nap to pass the time and escape the uneasy feeling she had when she wasn't with him._

_Serenity ran past guards and attendants and down flights of stairs on her way out of the Palace. She was eternally great full that she had not come across any of her Senshi. She knew that they would have stopped her and prevented her from seeing Endymion, not because they disapproved but because she would not have told them that he was waiting for fear that they would accompany her when she wished to be alone with him._

_Once outside the Palace she ran to the entrance to the Royal Gardens where they always spent their time. She saw him standing just inside the entrance and she put on a burst of speed. She sometimes amazed herself at how fast she could run in heels, but she hadn't seen him in weeks and she wasn't going to let decorum get in the way of how she wanted to greet him._

_Serenity saw Endymion look up and she gave him just enough time to smile hugely and hold his arms open for her. She slammed into him and felt his arms wrap around and hold her tightly. That was enough to distract her from the pain she felt from hitting his armor so hard._

"_Mmm…I love it when you do that. It's nice to see you behave so improper." He said with a chuckle._

"_I'm glad that you love it so much, because I can't help it when I'm around you. At least when we're alone anyway." She said, holding him tighter and breathing in his Earthly scent._

"_Come, let us walk." He said as he let one of his arms slid away and moved the other to rest around her neck on her bare shoulders._

_As they walked Serenity brought her left hand up to her shoulder and entwined her fingers with his with a sigh. They walked in a comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying each others presence away from royal guards, attendants, and the duty and obligation of their station. They usually didn't have time alone. There would always be one or both of their sets of guards lurking around out of site, but tonight they were lucky enough to get away from them and they were going to take full advantage of their solitude._

_Endymion walked them to a bench that was surrounded in red roses. He had brought seedlings from Earth since he knew how much she loved the flower, and with the conflict between their planets it wasn't possible for her to come to Earth to enjoy them so he brought them to her. He sat them down on the bench and looked deep into her eyes._

_Serenity had no doubts what Endymion was going to do; she could see it clearly in his deep ocean blue eyes. "I've been waiting weeks for this." She whispered as he got closer._

"_So have I." He whispered back, his lips inches from hers._

_Just as their lips were about to touch there was an extremely loud sound coming from in the distance behind them. They jumped apart, startled by the sound that ripped through the peace and quiet of the night. They looked back the way they came and saw that it was an explosion at the Palace. Serenity gasped in horror as she got to her feet._

_Endymion followed suit and grabbed her right hand. "Come on." He said and she grabbed her dress with her left hand and they started running back toward the Palace. As they ran Serenity looked to the sky and noticed that half the sky was darker then the other half and the stars were blotted out. As they reached the Palace there was an explosion from somewhere around back, and royal soldiers were streaming out of the front doors to meet the enemy._

_Serenity felt Endymion stiffen next to her when they stopped and she looked up at him and then followed his line of sight and saw what troubled him._

"_Is that…" She began._

"_Yes." He said before she could finish._

_Marching toward the Moon's royal soldiers were the royal soldiers of the Earth with his four generals in the lead. They looked the same but he knew something was different about them, and he knew for a fact that they wouldn't do something like this without his order. He just couldn't understand why they were doing this, why they were attacking the Moon._

_Then a woman with long, wavy red hair appeared in front of them with an evil smile plastered on her face._

"_Prince Endymion. There you are." The red head said._

"_Beryl! This is your doing." Endymion said with a look of pure disgust on his handsome face._

"_Yes, with much help from Metallia." She said with a gesture to the black sky behind her where evil looking eyes appeared. There was a menacing laugh that echoed around them, so chilling that Serenity shivered. She realized with a start that it had come from the thing called Metallia and she clung to Endymion's hand tighter. "Come to the winning side my Prince. Be with me. These Moon freaks won't be around much longer." She said in what she must have thought was a seductive voice._

_Serenity felt the shudder that ran through Endymion's body, and was amazed that he was able to keep a straight face. She couldn't stop the grimace that flashed across her face._

_Endymion looked past Beryl to the two massive armies and listened to the hateful words his people were shouting and he frowned as he looked back to Beryl. "You have brainwashed my people. Used their weaknesses, their insecurities against them, and you expect me to join you?" He said incredulously._

"_We haven't used anything against them. We all just finally decided to do something about these Moon people since you wouldn't. They think they're better then us, above us because of their power and long lives." She spat out bitterly, and when she spoke of power Serenity knew that she was speaking specifically of her and her mother since they were the only ones able to use that power._

"_They don't think they're above us. They cannot help the way of their people, the way they were born. They have the power they do and the long lives to help them do what they have done for centuries, which is to protect this part of the galaxy, including the Earth." He tried to explain to her hoping that reason would somehow help her break lose of Metallia's influence._

"_You side with these people? You make excuses for them?" She said in outrage._

"_My people are now lost to me. I will do what I can for the people of the Moon." He said, his voice calm and full of determination, as he squeezed Serenity's hand._

"_You choose them over your own people?" She said and her eyes zeroed in on Serenity and Endymion's entwined hands. "You choose __her__ over me?" She asked, her voice a mix of jealousy and rage._

_Endymion knew exactly what she meant. He had realized that she held an interest in him long before he met Serenity. He had no interest in her then and he certainly didn't have any in her now. His heart belonged to Serenity and always would._

"_Always." He said, his voice clearly conveying how much he loved Serenity._

_Serenity squeezed Endymion's hand as she looked up at him. Even with the situation being what it was she couldn't help smiling at his sincerity._

_Endymion looked down at Serenity's smiling face and he couldn't stop the smile that came to his face._

_Beryl seethed in jealousy as she heard his answer and watched them gazing into each others eyes. "Then I'll just have to get rid of her." She shouted and Serenity and Endymion's head snapped toward her sharply. "Metallia kill her! With her dead the Royal Moon line will end!" She shouted._

_Serenity watched, frozen in fear, as the black mass of Metallia began to gather energy to its mouth. She took a deep shuddering breath at the same time Metallia shot a stream of powerful energy at her, and the next thing she knew, Endymion was standing in front of her with his arms wrapped around her. She felt the shock of the blast as it hit Endymion in the back, and she cried out at the same time he did and watched as he collapsed to the ground._

"_No." She whispered in horror as blood started to pool around him. She immediately went to his side and dropped to her knees. "Endymion! Endymion!" She called to him as she gripped his left hand in both hers. She didn't know what Beryl or Metallia were doing and she didn't care. Her only thought, her only concern was Endymion._

_Endymion opened his eyes slowly and looked at her. "You need to get to safety Serenity. Find your Senshi." He said weakly._

"_I want to stay with you." She said as tears began to stream down her face._

"_You can't." He said as his eyes began to close._

"_No…don't go." Her voice was filled with pain, and she watched as he struggled to open his eyes. "Please…please don't leave me." She begged._

_Endymion looked at her sadly, his breathing shallow. He wished, more than anything, that he could do as she asked, but he knew that he could not._

"_I can't…I can't live without you." She choked out through her sobs._

"_I'm sorry." He said, squeezing her hands with the last of his energy as his eyes closed._

"_No! No!" She screamed, her heart breaking. She felt his hand go limp in her hands and her heart skipped a beat. "Endymion!" She screamed as the pain of her broken heart took over._

* * *

Usagi's eyes snapped open and for a moment all she saw was the face of the man from her dream. _Endymion_. She thought and gasped and closed her eyes at the slight pain that traveled through her heart. She felt a tear slide from the corner of her left eye to drop on her pillow.

"Usagi? Usagi are you okay?" Mamoru asked in concern. Her eyes were blank at first, but then the pain and sorrow he saw on her face moments before, showed in her eyes as she gasped and he wasn't sure what to do.

_I thought the dreams would stop since I'm not Sailor Moon anymore_. She thought as she groaned from all the aches of her sick body. _Why won't they stop?_ "I'm fine." She said, her voice raspy from her sore throat. "What happened?" She asked. She remembered knowing something was wrong and telling Mamoru, and then…nothing.

"You passed out. You had a really high fever; it's still there but you're not burning up anymore." He said while touching the cloth lightly.

"Oh. Thanks." She said. She then realized that she was gripping something that wasn't a blanket, and she pulled her hand from under her covers as she looked down and saw that she had Mamoru's green jacket. "I'm sorry." She said, blushing as she pulled the jacket out and handed it to him.

"That's okay." He said as he took his jacket and laid it on the floor next to him. "You clung to it pretty tight. I thought you didn't like it." He said in a light teasing voice, trying to cheer her up a little.

"I don't. I was clearly delirious from my fever and didn't know what I was doing." She said, rolling her eyes, with a small smile.

"Yeah okay." He said with a light laugh. "So how are you feeling?" He asked. He wanted to know about her dream too, but he was afraid that pained look would come back into her eyes and he didn't want to see her cry. That look hurt him more than he cared to admit, and he wasn't even sure why he was affected by it.

"Not so good. My head hurts, my throat hurts, my whole body aches, and despite what you said about me having a fever, I'm cold, and I feel weak." She said quietly, trying to keep the raspy sound from her voice and reduce the pain in her throat. She didn't even want to try and sit up or move at all for that matter.

"Oh…I'm sorry about that. Looks like you're going to be spending a lot of time in bed." He said.

"Yeah I guess." She said tiredly. "I won't be able to go to school or anywhere." She added in irritation. She had a different side of herself to show everyone and she wasn't done yet.

Again Mamoru was surprised that Usagi was worried about school. _She seems to be changing or maybe I just never noticed before._ He considered. "Do you think you'll miss a lot?" He asked.

"Yeah I do. Homework, class work, maybe some tests and pop quizzes." She said as she closed her eyes. _Not to mention whatever else Ms. H wanted to give me now that I'm proving not to be a dumb blond_. "Hey! Where's my mom? She's not too worried is she?" She asked suddenly. She had forgotten that her mom was around, which was weird because she had a guy in her room, even if it _**was **_Baka, and should have been very aware that a parental figure was around.

"She's making you and your brother a snack, I think. I don't think she's as worried as she was when you first pasted out. Once I got your fever down she seemed to relax a bit. Oh and she called your father and told him what happened. She told me that she told him that a friend brought you home." He said as he watched the play of emotions cross her face.

"Well I'm not hungry. I guess I'll have to tell her that. I'm glad she told him it was a friend." She said with a sigh. Then after seeing him raise an eyebrow she explained. "My dad is really over protective when it comes to me and the male population. If she would have told him that a guy friend had brought me home…or even worse, your name, then he would have flipped and raced home that minute and if he would have found you here…" She trailed off ominously.

"Oh." Was all he could say as he took in that piece of information. _I'll have to remember that. And why exactly do I need to remember that?_ He thought as he shook his head to clear that unexpected thought. "I'll go get your mom. I'm sure she wants to know you're awake." He said as he got to his feet. Usagi nodded her head and he left the room then returned a few moments later with Mrs. Tsukino.

Mamoru stood off to the side, near Usagi's closet, trying to give them some measure of privacy. He could clearly see how concerned Mrs. Tsukino was, but also how happy she was that Usagi was awake. It made him sad, to witness such a moment, knowing that he was going home to an empty apartment with no love such as what he was witnessing. He would have left the room to give them some real privacy and spare himself the pain of having to witness such a moment, but he was a first time guest in the house and it would be rude and improper of him to do so.

Usagi laid there and listened to her mother ask question after question, many of which involved her health. She assured her mom over and over again that she was okay.

"Are you sure honey?" Mrs. Tsukino asked. "Yes mom I'm sure." She said tiredly. "Okay." Mrs. Tsukino said slowly. "Are you hungry or thirsty?" She added. "No I'm not, but I'm sure Shingo and dad will be. I don't smell anything cooking. Really mom. You shouldn't worry about me if it's interfering with what your doing." Usagi said.

"You know I can't help but worry, but are you sure honey?" Mrs. Tsukino asked again. "Yes mom. You can check on me as much as you want. I'll be right here. I'll probably just end up going to sleep anyway, so you should just go ahead and start dinner and concentrate on that." She said with a small smile. Her mother nodded her head saying 'okay' and left the room.

Usagi looked over at Mamoru who was looking around her room. "Not what you expected is it?" She said quietly, ignoring the raspy sound and pain in her throat.

"Actually no it isn't. I…I expected it to be messy." He said honestly as he walked over to her bed and knelt on the floor.

"Well to be honest it was like that once upon a time, but I cleaned it all up into what you see now. I might let it go back to being messy one of these days though." She said, thinking that either way it wouldn't matter since she was comfortable with it being messy or neat.

Mamoru chuckled quietly at that, shaking his head slightly and thinking that she seemed different from how she was last week and that maybe he should get to know her better. That it might help him help her deal with what's happening with her and her friends. Thinking about that made him remember that Motoki was at the arcade waiting for him in his worried and agitated state.

"You know Motoki is still waiting for me. He's probably beyond worried by now. I should go and let him know how you're doing." He said as he grabbed his jacket and got to his feet.

"Yeah I wouldn't want Motoki to worry. Thank you for getting me home and taking care of my fever." She said quietly, trying to lessen the pain.

"You're welcome. Take care." She heard him say and watched him walk from her room.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi listened as the front door opened and closed, and she began to think about how nice Mamoru had been to her. _It was very nice of him to get me home, but he didn't have to carry me the whole way. He could have helped me walk. Then there's the fact that he actually stayed and got my fever down and waited until I woke up. He didn't have to do that either, but he did. And I won't soon forget that concerned look in his eyes when I woke up. I'm going to be nice to him no matter what. I promise to be nice to him and show him the nicer, smarter side to me._ She thought determinedly as she took the cloth from her forehead and placed it in the bowl.

She then let her mind drift to the dream she had woken from, and realized that she couldn't remember it. The only thing that came clearly was the sadness, pain, and the name Endymion. _Who is he, and why do I feel this way when I think of his name? Hmmm…I wonder what it would feel like if I said his name out loud since I've never done it before._

"Endymion." She whispered, and gasped as she felt happiness, sadness, and pain in her heart all at once. _What does it mean? Why do I feel this? I don't understand_. She thought with a weak sigh followed closely by a big yawn. _Oh I'm so tired_. She thought as her eyes drooped closed for a moment. She snapped her eyes open, keeping herself awake. _I can't sleep just yet. I have to ask mom something_. She thought.

Usagi took a few deep breaths then called out to her mom. She coughed, grimaced, and flinched at the pain from raising her voice. Moments later her mom hurried into the room with a worried look on her face. She quickly eased her mother's fears by telling her that she was okay and merely wanted to ask her something. She then went on to ask her mother if she could call her father and ask him to bring home some medicine.

Her mother assured her that she would then left the room to do just that, and minutes later Usagi was sound asleep.

Hours later…

Usagi woke slowly, blinking as she looked around to judge how long she had been asleep. Her room was dark. The only light coming from the moon shinning through her balcony doors, and the hallway light through the ajar space from her door. As she was looking away from her door she noticed that the bowl of water that was on her nightstand was gone, and in its place was a bottle of NyQuil. That let her know that her father was home and that it was sometime after 6pm.

_Might as well get up and change into my pj's. I know I can't stay in my school uniform the whole time I'm sick_. She thought as she forced herself to sit up. She groaned and winced at the aches pulsing throughout her body. _Ugh! How long is this pain going to last? Maybe I should take my medicine now. That way it has enough time to kick in since I know it's going to take me forever to change my clothes_. She thought as she reached for the bottle of NyQuil. _Gross!_ She thought as she noticed the color of the medicine. _The red one is worse then the green. Maybe I should have specified what kind of medicine I wanted_. She thought as she poured a cap full of the nasty red NyQuil. She swallowed it in one sip, trying not to taste it and failing miserably with a sour look on her face.

Once she was able to put the horrible taste out of her mind, she pushed her covers back and swung her legs over the side of her bed and attempted to stand. She collapsed back down immediately, feeling tired and weak. _Ugh! I think I might have to crawl to my closet_. She thought with a tired sigh.

So with that she slid to the floor and slowly crawled to her closet and pulled out a white tank top and a pair of warm baby blue pajamas with royal blue lining around the end of the sleeves and pants, with clear buttons. _I'll take my hair down when I'm done_. She thought as she struggled to take her school uniform off and pull her pj's on while sitting on the floor. She thought that it would be easier to get her pajamas on with her hair still up instead of wasting energy on struggling to pull it all out of her pajama top.

She took her hair down after stuffing her uniform into her closet, too lazy, tired, and weak to hang it up, then crawled out of her room to the railing that separated the hallway from the stairs and called out for her dad. She grimaced at the pain in her throat and squeezed the bars on the railing, trying to help relieve the pain. There was no answer, so she called again, then moments later Shingo came to the stairs.

"What are you doing making that raspy noise?" Shingo asked, stopping in the middle of the stairs as he looked up at her.

Usagi frowned at him but was feeling too tired to hold it. "Could you just get dad for me?" She asked.

"Why do you sound like that and why are you on the floor?" He asked.

"I'm sick and I'm not feeling strong enough to stand." She said in tired irritation, and watched as he nodded then turned and headed back down the stairs.

Usagi then made her way back into her room, and to her bed then climbed in and pulled her hair under the covers. Just as she was settling, her dad came into her room.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Her father asked as he came and stood next to her bed.

"I'm not doing too good, but thanks for buying me the medicine. I just took some a few minutes ago and it's already starting to take effect. Hopefully I'll be doing better tomorrow." She said.

"I hope it helps you get better. I would love to see you doing better tomorrow. You know I don't like to see you this way." He said with a small smile then added "I'll tell your mom that you're going to sleep, so don't worry about it. Okay?"

"Thanks dad. Goodnight." She said as she watched him walk to the door.

"Goodnight Usagi." He said, and she watched him walk out and close the door.

Usagi sighed and leaned over to the nightstand on her right, and pulled her star locket from the drawer. She put her hand through the thin chain, so that it would stay around her wrist during the night. She opened it, laid down, and let the combination of the medication and soft melody sooth her to sleep.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru walked down the stairs while pulling his jacket on after leaving Usagi's room. Once downstairs he followed the smell of food and found himself in the kitchen. He stood in the doorway for a few minutes, unsure of how to get Mrs. Tsukino's attention.

"Umm…excuse me Mrs. Tsukino?" He said awkwardly and watched as she turned to look at him. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving now." He finished.

"Oh. Okay. Hold on a second." She said and pulled a plate covered in foil out of the oven and handed it to Mamoru. She had cookie mix already made from the night before and it only took a few minutes for them to bake. "They're chocolate chip cookies. My thanks for caring so much for my daughter." She said, wondering if he could hear the double meaning in her words. She hadn't forgotten how gentle and tender he was earlier when he tended Usagi's fever.

Mamoru was surprised at the offering, but was concentrating more on her words. He thought he had heard something in her voice and words, but for some reason his brain wouldn't tell him what it was. "Thank you. I was glad to do it." He said as they walked to the front door. Once there he slipped into his shoes and opened the door.

"I hope to see you again Chiba Mamoru." He heard her say as he walked out the door. He turned back to her and saw a warm smile on her face as she waved to him. He smiled, waved and began to walk away.

_Mrs. Tsukino is so nice, and Usagi's house is so…I don't know. I guess I can only describe it as warm and inviting_. He thought as he walked down the street. He found himself repeating Mrs. Tsukino's parting words in his head, and wondered when he would see her and Usagi again. "I hope it's soon." He said without even realizing it.

30 minutes later…

Mamoru walked into the arcade, which was full of teens in many different uniforms, and scanned the room for Motoki but didn't see him. _He's got to be around here somewhere_. He thought as he took his usual seat at the counter. He placed the plate of cookies on the counter in front of him and waited for Motoki to appear as he always did.

As he waited the scent of the cookies teased his nose as they did on his walk to the arcade, but he resisted eating them or even tasting one. He wanted to wait until he got home, and enjoy them while he studied.

"Mamoru how long have you been here?" Motoki's voice startled him out of his reverie. He hadn't heard or noticed his approach, mesmerized as he was by the scent of the cookies.

"Oh Motoki. Umm…a few minutes." He said after checking his watch for the time.

"Well? Did you find Usagi? Is she okay?" Motoki asked quickly.

"Yes I was able to catch up to her a few minutes after I left here, and you were right. She looked terrible. When I caught up to her she could barely walk. She was so weak that she collapsed into my arms." He said, shaking his head at the memory. "I carried her home after that, and she told me that she wasn't feeling well when she woke up this morning but that it wasn't as bad as it had gotten. I knew something was wrong yesterday. She was too hot and looked too tired. I should have said something to her." He said with a sigh as he closed his eyes.

_And why should I feel bad? It's not my responsibility to tell her when she's sick! She most likely knew already, but didn't do anything about it. I wonder why. Maybe it's because of the problem with her friends. Maybe she's been too distracted to take care of herself. Well running around at night in her pajamas and hurt is proof of that_. "Anyway…after I got her home I was taking her up to her room and she blacked out. She had a fever and it was really high, but I got it down and she woke up a little while later. I left a few minutes after that and came straight here." He finished.

"Wow. Poor Usagi. I've never seen her sick before. She's always so healthy and energetic and smiling. I hate to see her this way. It just doesn't go with her personality." Motoki said with a sad sigh. "How was she doing when you left?"

"She was okay for the most part, but still doing the same. She still had a fever and a sore throat, she had a headache, she was cold despite the fever, and she said her whole body ached." He said.

"Awww. Well I'm glad she's at home now instead of out here. I'm even more glad that you went after her. From what you said it sounded like she wouldn't have been able to get home on her own." Motoki said as he glanced around the arcade, making sure no one needed him yet.

"Yeah I thought so too. That's why I carried her home. At first I tried to stand her up, but her legs buckled the moment I tried to let go. But anyway…I'm glad she's home too." He said just as some kids walked into the arcade, and Motoki moved away to take their orders. "I'm going to go home, and try to get some studying done." He said when Motoki was done taking the kids orders.

"Okay. Hey you never told me what was on that plate of yours. Not like I asked though." Motoki said as he watched Mamoru stand.

"It's cookies. Home made cookies from Usagi's mom as a thanks for helping Usagi get home and staying until she woke up." He said. Motoki was his best friend, but he wasn't about to tell him what the cookies were really for. Not that he was sure himself. Just like he wasn't going to tell him all the details of what happened as he took Usagi home and what happened after they got there.

"Okay. Well I hope they taste good. I'll see you tomorrow." Motoki said as Mamoru turned toward the sliding glass doors.

"Tomorrow then." Mamoru called as he stepped out of the arcade and began to head home.

15 minutes later…

Once Mamoru got home he placed the plate of cookies on the coffee table in his living room. Then he gathered his textbooks and placed them with the cookies along with his notebook and a pen and pencil. When he was done organizing all that he went to his bedroom and changed into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, so he would be comfortable and wouldn't have to worry about changing for bed when he was ready to sleep.

Mamoru sat on the floor in front of his couch with the coffee table in front of him and removed the foil from the cookies. He then opened one of his medical textbooks and was immediately assaulted by thoughts of Usagi and how she was doing. He pushed the thoughts back, unwilling to let his mind stray from the task at hand.

_You're supposed to be studying. Not letting your mind wander to that Odango Atama!_ He berated himself, hoping that the use of the name he always called her would help him keep thoughts of her away long enough for him to get some studying done.

He was able to last almost two hours before his mind gave up and allowed thoughts of Usagi through. Instead of thinking about how sick she was or how he thought she might be doing at the moment, he found himself thinking about the little things. Such as, how she struggled to get home even though she knew she was too tired and weak, how vulnerable she looked in his arms, and how she felt in his arms. All of those thoughts reminded him of Sailor Moon. Those qualities – for they could not be called anything else in his mind – were what made him like Sailor Moon more then he already did, and now he realized that he also liked those qualities about Usagi.

Now that his mind was on Sailor Moon he decided that he would actually write the letter that he had only thought about writing. He pulled his notebook toward him, grabbed his pen, and began to write.

"**Dear Sailor Moon,"** _Is writing 'Dear' too much? Maybe I should just put her name and nothing else_. He thought as he starred down at the blank paper in front of him. _No. I'll put it in there. Now…what do I say?_ He thought with a slight frown of concentration. **"I'm writing this not knowing if this will ever reach your eyes, so I guess I'm writing this for both you and me. You're probably wondering why I would write this for myself aren't you?"** He wrote. _Maybe I should put 'are you not?' That would sound better. Actually…they both sound okay to me. I'll decide when I'm rewriting it._

"**Well I'm writing this for myself because I think it might help me with everything I'm feeling since learning that you resigned your position as a senshi. That's the other reason as well. The reason I'm writing this for you." **He wrote then paused and thought for a few minutes about how to word his next thoughts.

"**I feel like…no. I know that there are things I need to tell you and that you need to know. I guess I'll start by saying that I learned about your resignation two days after it happened. It was after a fight with a youma. I knew that something was up because you hadn't shown up to the fight. When I asked where you were all the Senshi got quiet and then Mars…"** He paused here. _Should I say Mars or Sailor Mars? Hmmm…I think I'll go with the latter._ He thought then continued writing. **"said that you quit because you couldn't handle it, and then Sailor Mercury stepped in and gave me the real reason. Telling me a little about how you all haven't been getting along. I don't normally like to make assumptions, but I assumed that that was what led up to your resignation and that what happened at the battle near the temple is what might have set you off.**

"**Yes I was there at the battle. I got there moments after you and saw everything that happened. I saw you save Sailor Mars, and just so you know…I almost had a heart attack when you were almost hit, which should tell you how worried I was. You must know that if I couldn't step in and save you then there was not enough time to do so. I told the Senshi as much when we spoke. I was extremely angry with them for reacting the way they did and I made sure they knew it. I believe I even made Sailor Mars feel guilty and ashamed about the way she acted."** He paused here, unsure of how to continue.

_Do I tell her that I think she's a great senshi or do I tell her how I feel about her? I guess I can or should tell her both, but which one first?_ He thought as he read through what he had written so far.

"**I want you to know that you're a great Senshi. I've always thought you were. You should not think that your presence would get someone killed because it's not true. You may not be the best fighter but you are a good fighter. I don't know…maybe the fact that I'm not close to you like the Senshi are helps me see better, and because of that I can tell you that you **_**have**_** become a better fighter.**

"**You haven't forgotten have you? That I was there at your first fight. You've gotten much better since then. I can tell how hard you try…how you push yourself to be better, but I can also see that you're not a natural fighter like the other Senshi."** Here he paused, struggling with what to write next.

"**I don't want you to forget that you were the first Senshi. That you fought many youma's before you found the other Senshi, and that you defeated them all. Don't even think that you were able to defeat them because of my help! My help was always limited because I wanted you to be the one to defeat them. Know that I was only there to make sure you came to no harm." **Again he paused. He knew that now was the point where he wanted…no, _**needed **_to tell her how he felt about her. _Will I ever find a way to get this letter to her?_ He thought with a sigh then continued with the letter.

"**I've only been in one fight since you decided to resign, and I already miss saving you. I miss more then that though. I miss **_**you**_**. I miss seeing you. I miss seeing you in action. I miss how you felt"** _Maybe I should put feel. Hmm…I'll have to think on that a bit when I rewrite it._ **"in my arms. You know…after Sailor Mercury told me what she did, I realized just how much I like you. Yes, for the record, I do like you. Very much in fact. I remember when I got home I completely broke down and cried. It hurt so much to know that I wouldn't see you again. That I might never get the chance to tell you how I felt about you, especially after Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter gave me your message.**

"**I was shocked and happy at the same time. I had hoped that you might be developing feelings for me, and to have it confirmed like that was…was, well I don't know what it was but it made me happy. Anyway, I think that's all I'll say here. I'll leave the rest for another time. I hope to talk to you face to face someday, and we would need something to speak of would we not? Until then I hope this letter is enough…"** _Okay should I put 'sincerely yours', 'always', 'love'…okay maybe not that one. That might be too much; I don't want to scare her…or myself. I don't love her…or do I? Could I be in love with Sailor Moon? No…no. Stop that right now! The answer to that might hurt, especially since I might not see her again. _He thought, shaking his head roughly. _Maybe I should just end it by writing my name. 'Always Tuxedo Kamen' or just 'Tuxedo Kamen'._ He thought.

Mamoru decided on what to put then began to rewrite the letter, removing mistakes and adding a little to it here and there. When he was finished he read it through and was satisfied with how it turned out. He then went to the kitchen and pulled a red string from a drawer then went back to the living room. He rolled up the letter like a scroll and pulled a perfect red rose from his subspace pocket and tied the rose to the letter then put it in his subspace pocket.

He folded the rough draft of his letter to Sailor Moon, pushed it off to the side, and tried to get some studying done. The letter had taken a few hours to write, but he hoped to imprint some new information on his brain. Unfortunately he used up all his concentration on writing the letter, so he put his books in a pile, took the rest of the cookies and put them on the kitchen table, and turned off the lights.

Mamoru then walked to his bedroom and climbed into bed. _I wonder if Usagi is doing any better. She's probably not. It's not like she could get better in only a few hours. Maybe I should go pick up her homework and class work since she's so worried about missing it. Yeah. I think I will._ He thought with a yawn as he turned over and closed his eyes.

Within minutes he was asleep and dreaming about the Princess. Only this time Sailor Moon and Usagi were in the dream asking for his help as well.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi woke slightly in the middle of turning over to get comfortable. She cracked her eyes open and was blinded by the sunlight coming in through her balcony doors. She squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the covers over her head to shut out the light.

_Why are my eyes so sensitive to light? Ugh! Maybe I'm getting a migraine. My head __**does **__hurt_. She thought as she turned on her other side away from the balcony and peaked out of her covers. She saw that her door was slightly ajar, so she took a breath and tried to call her mom but the only thing that came out was a painful, strangled rasp. _What?! What's up with my voice?_ She thought as she tried again to call her mom, and again all she got was a painful, strangled rasping sound.

_So…I guess I've lost my voice. No talking. I'm going to need a pen and some paper._ She thought with a sigh as she lay there peaking out of her covers at the door hoping that her mother would come in to check on her soon. _Ugh! Even sighing hurts_. She thought with a sad look on her face. She shifted slightly and felt something tugging at her wrist. _Oh! My star locket. I must have closed it some time during the night_. She thought as she took if off and slid it under her pillow.

Usagi was still very sleepy due to the NyQuil she had taken the night before, and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She starred at her door with her eyes drooping for a few minutes, and just when her eyes closed she heard her door squeak and her eyes flew open. She saw her mother walk in and she stuck her hand out and waved to get her attention. When she had it she made a gesture as if she was writing something and pointed to her floor desk where her school bag was.

"Are you playing a game Usagi? How come you don't say what you want?" Her mother asked.

Usagi lifted the covers so that the sun was blocked from her view, and put her hand on her throat and shook her head with a sad look on her face. Her mother frowned and went to her floor desk, opened her school bag, grabbed the only notebook there was and the first pen she saw, and brought them to Usagi.

Usagi opened the notebook and took the cap off what she noticed was a black pen. She moved the covers slightly so that she had room to write, but was still shielded from the light and began to write**. "I think I lost my voice. Nothing comes out when I try to talk, and that's why I didn't say anything."** She wrote and handed the notebook so her mother to read.

Her mother read it, her face becoming sad as she finished. "How are you feeling honey?" She asked as she handed the notebook back to Usagi.

"**I'm not doing too good. Mostly the same as yesterday except the fact that I've lost my voice, and the light is hurting my eyes. Do you think you can put up darker curtains or something to block out the sunlight?"** She wrote and handed her mother the notebook.

Ikuko read it and nodded her head. "I can do that. I'll go find something." She said as she handed the notebook back.

Usagi put the notebook on her nightstand next to her medicine and put the pen on top of it, then covered her head with the covers again. A few minutes later she heard her mother come back into the room, and she heard shuffling and something shifting. A few moments later she heard her mother speak.

"You can come out now. I've finished." Ikuko said.

Usagi peaked out from her covers and saw that there was no light so she pushed her covers back off her head, and looked at her balcony doors and saw that her mother had put up a thick dark blue blanket. She sat up, grimacing from the aches of her body, grabbed her notebook and pen, opened them, and began to write. **"Thanks mom. That helps a lot. Hopefully my headache won't get any worse." **She wrote and handed the notebook to her mother, and watched as she read it.

"I hope it doesn't get any worse either. Are you hungry? I could make you something." Ikuko said as she handed the notebook back.

"**No I'm not hungry. I'm still sleepy from the medicine. I'd still be asleep if the sun hadn't blinded me when I was turning over."** She wrote and handed the notebook back to her mother.

"Okay. Well you should go back to sleep and rest." Ikuko said after reading Usagi's response. She then handed the notebook back and walked to the door.

Usagi watched as her mother left the room, leaving the door ajar, then moved her bottle of NyQuil to the nightstand on her right so that it wouldn't be in the way of her notebook when she placed it back on the nightstand on her left.

She closed her notebook, put the cap on her pen, and placed them on the nightstand. She turned on her side away from her door and as she was about to lay down she had a strong feeling that she should put her star locket away. So she pulled it out from under her pillow and placed it in the drawer of her right nightstand. She then laid down, shifted a little to get comfortable, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_Serenity walked down one of the many grand hallways of the Moon Palace on her way to the ballroom. She was excited, not because there was a ball, but because of who would be there._

_It was a masquerade ball and Endymion would be there in disguise._

_She, her mother, and her Senshi were not in disguise. She and her mother because it was too difficult to deal with their hair, and her Senshi because they had to stay in their sailor uniforms and protect her._

_Serenity approached a side door, and a guard that was standing there opened it for her. She walked past the guard and through the door and stopped at the top of a staircase and looked on at the many people and couples dancing around the room with their faces hidden._

_She began to descend the stairs with a sigh. As she neared the bottom she saw her mother speaking to a masked man. She knew that the man wasn't Endymion because his hair was the same color as her mothers though it was a dull color, not luminous like her mothers. Her mother looked her way and after making eye contact she gave her mother a meaningful, questioning look, and her mother shook her head sadly._

_Serenity closed her eyes and sighed once more as she reached the bottom of the stairs. 'Well just because mother has not seen him, that does not mean that he is not somewhere around here.' She thought as she put a smile on her face and began to walk around the room mingling with those who were not dancing._

_She saw Sailor's Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars stationed around the room, keeping their eyes on her. 'I wonder if any of the girls have seen him. How long is this ball going to last? What if he misses it?' She thought as she struggled to keep the smile on her face as she was approached and asked to dance. The only reason why she was excited about the ball was because Endymion would be there, and since she couldn't find him she was going to find a way to enjoy the night and let him find her. She had realized long ago that he was good at finding her no matter where she was._

_Serenity made her way to each of her Senshi, after she had finished her dance with the masked man who had asked her, and asked them to meet her at the entrance to the Royal Gardens. Then she made her way to her mother and waited patiently as she talked with a lady wearing a gold and white mask that covered half her face. When she was done she took her mothers offered arm, and they began to walk around the room._

"_Mother, the girls and I are going to be in the gardens for the remainder of the ball." She said in a low voice, and then added, "Promise me you will tell him where I am if you see him." She knew that her mother would know whom she spoke of._

"_You have my word Serenity, but please let this be the last time you disappear from these balls." Queen Serenity said quietly. Then left her at the main entrance to the ballroom._

_Serenity made her way out of the Palace, after leaving the ballroom, and headed toward the gardens. She found the girls standing at the entrance to the gardens, and she smiled brightly. They were going to have fun._

"_We are about to have some fun out here instead of being bored at the masquerade." She said after she had reached them and began to take her high heels off. "We are going to run around, play hide and seek, chase each other, and just have fun for the night."_

"_What about Prince Endymion? Do you not plan on seeing him tonight?" Sailor Jupiter asked as she began to take her green lace up boots off along with everyone else._

"_He will find me. Besides, I have told mother where we will be if she should see him." She said, and with that she took off, running into the garden and turned onto one of the grassy paths that led to a part of the gardens that was a maze._

_Once inside the maze they ran around hiding and chasing each other and laughing until they could hardly breath. After they got bored with that they decided to see how long it would take them all to reach the center of the maze separately. They each made their way to a different entrance, and used their planetary powers to signal their arrival at their respective entrance._

_Serenity sent up a signal into the air signaling that they could start. Before they separated they had decided on a few rules. They weren't allowed to use any of their powers and they couldn't run. They had to walk and take their time, but they could call out to each other, tease, and try to mislead each other as to where they were._

_As she walked she came across many dead ends. She was beginning to get frustrated after her seventh dead end and voiced it to the entire garden. She heard all the girls' laughter drift to her ears and sighed._

"_Hey don't feel bad. I just walked into my fifth dead end." Sailor Jupiter shouted and they all laughed. _

_Serenity sighed as she walked down a path that led to a turn. "Ugh! I must have walked these paths dozens of times. You would think I would have them memorized by now." She said in frustration. " I am never going to reach the center." She said softly as she reached the turn._

"_Yes you will." Came a male voice that was impossible for her not to recognize. She finished the turn and saw him leaning against one of the bush walls, wearing a tuxedo with a black cape with red interior, a top hat, and a white mask over his eyes._

"_Endymion!" She breathed in surprise and joy as a smile lit up her face. She walked over to him and hugged him, melting into his embrace. "How did you find me?" She asked as they hugged._

"_Your mother told me that you and your Senshi were out here. We arrived just as you were beginning this game of yours." He said as she rubbed the back of her neck in a soothing motion._

"_We?" She questioned just as she heard a medium sounding scream. "Venus." She said as she broke away from the hug and turned in that direction. She recognized the sound of her Senshi's voices anywhere, and knew immediately that it was her head Senshi._

"_My generals came with me. I imagine Kunzite just surprised her. When you all split up each of us followed." He said with a smile._

"_Wait! So you heard us shouting at each other, and you were following me as I walked into all those dead ends." She said._

"_Yes. I would have said something sooner but I did not wish to frighten you." He said._

_Serenity smiled and stepped back into his arms. "Serenity?" She heard Sailor Venus call out to her. "Yes?" She shouted back, moving away from Endymion's embrace so she wouldn't be shouting in his ear._

"_Is it true? It is not just me is it?" Sailor Venus called, and Serenity knew that she was asking if Endymion had found her._

"_It is true. It is not just you. Mars? Mercury? Jupiter?" She called to see if they had been found yet._

"_Me too." Sailor Mars shouted._

"_Same here." Sailor Jupiter called._

_They waited for Sailor Mercury to answer, but all they got was a beam of blue light shooting into the sky. Serenity gasped. "You know what that means right girls?" She called with a laugh._

"_Oh yeah." They all shouted in unison and then started laughing._

"_What does that mean?" Endymion asked._

_Serenity turned back to him and gave him a brilliant smile. "It means that she was otherwise engaged, and was unable to respond with words." She answered as she looked him over. She was very taken with his outfit._

"_And what, prey tell, could she have possibly been doing?" He asked as he watched her looking at him._

"_Would you like me to show you?" She asked as she stepped closer to him._

"_How about I take a guess." He suggested as he stepped to her, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her. They kissed for a long moment then he gently broke away. "Is that what she was busy doing?" He asked as he kissed her cheek and then moved to her neck._

"_Yes." She breathed. "You know, I love the mask." She said, trying to hold on to her fleeing concentration._

"_Is that all you love?" He asked huskily._

"_No. I love the tuxedo, especially the cape, and I love the hat, and most of all…I love you." She said in a low voice._

_Endymion pulled back from her neck and looked at her with a smile. "I love you too." He said and hugged her._

**_~~~~~~~~~~Scene Shift~~~~~~~~~~_**

_Endymion stood in front of her with his arms wrapped around her, and she felt the shock of the blast as it hit Endymion in the back. She cried out at the same time he did and watched as he collapsed to the ground._

"_No." She whispered in horror as blood started to pool around him. She immediately went to his side and dropped to her knees. "Endymion! Endymion!" She called to him as she gripped his left hand in both hers._

_He opened his eyes slowly and looked at her. "You need to get to safety Serenity. Find your Senshi." He said weakly._

"_I want to stay with you." She said as tears began to stream down her face._

"_You can't." He said as his eyes began to close._

"_No…don't go." Her voice was filled with pain, and she watched as he struggled to open his eyes. "Please…please don't leave me." She begged._

_Endymion looked at her sadly, his breathing shallow._

"_I can't…I can't live without you." She choked out through her sobs._

"_I'm sorry." He said, squeezing her hands with the last of his energy as his eyes closed._

"_No! No!" She screamed, her heart breaking. She felt his hand go limp in her hands and her heart skipped a beat. "Endymion!" She screamed as the pain of her broken heart took over._

_She leaned over him, tears falling on his lifeless face as she gazed at him. "Come back. Please come back." She whispered as her tears continued to bathe his face. 'If you can not come back to me then I will come to you.' She thought after a few moments of crying. She then grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled it from its sheath at his waist._

_She laid it on her lap and caressed his face. "I love you Endymion." She said quietly. She then took a deep breath as she lifted the sword and plunged it into her chest as hard as she could._

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru woke up slowly when his alarm went off. He turned it off, and the only thought he had was that he was going to drive to school. With that thought he decided to take his time waking up. After a few minutes of lying there starring at his ceiling he rolled out of bed and went to take a warm shower. It was hot enough to relax and clean him, but cold enough to wake him up. Once he was done he dried off, dressed, made his bed, gathered his textbooks, and left for school.

Once Mamoru found a decent parking spot he realized that the time it took him to find it had made him late for his first class. He grabbed his books and sprinted to class only to find out that it had been cancelled. A thorough questioning of fellow classmates and reading signs informed him that not only was his first class cancelled but so were the rest. Apparently his teachers were unavailable to come in for various reasons. Some were sick and another had a family emergency.

_Well this gives me time to do what I wanted to do_. He thought as he went back to his car. After his books were settles in the passenger side seat he started his car and headed for Usagi's school.

30 minutes later…

_Crossroads Junior High_. Mamoru thought with a sigh as he walked past the gates to enter the school grounds. It had been years since he had been on the campus, but he still remembered where the important places were such as, the main office and that's where he headed.

"Hi. I'm Chiba Mamoru. I'm a friend of Tsukino Usagi. I wanted to know if you could tell me which classroom is hers?" He asked the secretary with a slight smile once he was inside the office. He wanted to be friendly, but he was very aware that he was only there because Usagi was sick, unable to come herself and that was nothing to smile about.

The secretary informed him which classroom was Usagi's and he was glad that he was not made to prove that he was a friend. Apparently he had a reputation for being an extremely smart and honest student, and it seemed that it had spread to all the local schools.

Mamoru walked up to the third floor and headed in the direction of Usagi's classroom. Once there he peaked through the little window in the door and saw a woman speaking to the class and gesturing to the board behind her. _That must be Ms. Haruna_. He thought as he remembered the name the secretary gave him. He shifted his vision so that he could get a quick look at Usagi's classmates, and noticed Ami and Makoto among them. This answered his questions about whether or not they had the same class as Usagi.

He knocked on the door, getting Ms. Haruna's attention and interrupting her lecture, and watched as she gestured for him to come in. He slid the door open and walked in, ignoring the students as he stepped over to Ms. Haruna.

"I'm Chiba Mamoru. I'm a friend of Tsukino Usagi." He said quietly. "I'm here because she's really sick right now and won't be coming to school for a while, and she's really worried about what she might miss. So I thought I would bring her, her homework and class work and anything else you wanted her to work on in her absence." He finished just as quietly as he had started.

"I'm sorry to hear that she's not well. I hope she gets better soon, and don't worry. I'll get you everything she needs to keep her from falling behind." Ms. Haruna said just as quietly as he had spoken.

He then watched as she turned and walked behind her desk, opened one of her filing drawers, and pulled out a few one-page handouts. He then noticed as she pulled out a thicker handout that looked like it had at least five pages. She then pulled out a blank piece of paper and started writing down page numbers and subject names_. I guess that must be her homework from different subjects._ He thought as he pictured the neat stack of textbooks in Usagi's room. He then watched as she put it all in a manila folder and handed it to him.

"Thank you. She'll be happy to have this." He said with a smile then turned and walked from the room, sliding the door closed quietly behind him. _I wonder if it's too early to go see Usagi. She's probably still asleep, and I don't want to disturb her_. He thought as he backtracked his way out of the school and to his car. _Hmmm…I could drop off her schoolwork and then come back and visit later. Yeah. Yeah I'll do that. That's a good idea, dropping off her schoolwork, just in case I can't come back for some reason_. He thought as he got into his car and headed for Usagi's house.

As Mamoru drove he was happy and surprised that he remembered the exact route. When he got there he parked in front of her house, grabbed the folder with her schoolwork, and made his way to the front door. He knocked and a few moments later Mrs. Tsukino answered the door.

"Hi. I picked up Usagi's homework and class work for her, and I just wanted to drop it off." He said a little shyly. He didn't know what it was about Usagi's mother that had him feeling shy, awkward, and hesitant. _Maybe it's because I didn't have a mother growing up, so it's weird when someone else's mother treats me so nicely_.

"Oh thank you so much. Come on in." She said as she held the door open wider and stepped to the side. "Usagi is still asleep, but I'm sure she will be happy to see you when she wakes up." She said as she closed the door behind him. "Until then you can wait in her room if you don't have anywhere else to be." She finished with a smile.

_Wow. She wants me to stay here, and in Usagi's room. She must really trust me. Maybe it's because of how I treated Usagi yesterday or maybe it was something Usagi said about me. I don't know, but I wouldn't mind staying. I mean it's not like I have anything else to do, and I did come to see her. So why not? _He thought as he stepped out of his shoes.

"Thank you. I'll make sure not to disturb her, and thank you for the cookies. They were great." He said with a smile.

"Oh your welcome." He heard her say then he began to walk up the stairs to Usagi's room. He saw that her door was ajar, so he pushed it open and saw how dark it was in there. He immediately noticed that a dark blanket was covering her balcony doors, blocking out the sunlight. Even so, he could still see and walked over to her floor desk and placed the folder on it. He then walked over to her bed and sat on the floor in the same spot he had occupied the day before.

_I wonder why she's blocking out the light._ He thought curiously as he waited for her to wake up. As he looked around he noticed that there was a notebook and a pen on her nightstand where the bowl of water had been the day before. _Could that be Usagi's diary or journal? _He wondered as he watched her shift around in her sleep.

Mamoru sat in silence, listening to Usagi's breathing, for almost twenty minutes. Then he began to hear her mumbling and knew that, like last time, she would begin to talk. He turned to look at her face and saw that she looked like she was having a nice dream. That is until a pained look crossed her sleeping face.

"No." He heard her whisper in a sad voice. "I want to stay with you." He heard her say and gasped when he saw tears sliding down her temples into her hair. _Usagi what are you dreaming about that causes you such pain? _He thought as he continued to watch her. "No…don't go. Please…please don't leave me." He heard her say quietly_. It sounds like she's begging someone. Wait! This is the same thing she said yesterday_. He thought and listened harder to see if she would say anymore.

"I can't…" Mamoru held his breath. He remembered that she hadn't finished what she was going to say or that it just wouldn't come out. "I can't live without you." She said in an even lower voice and his eyes widened in shock, but he didn't have time to ponder it because she wasn't done yet. "No! No!" He heard her say anxiously and she had that look of pure pain and sorrow again. Only this time he would leave her be and not wake her. And was glad that he didn't. He watched as she turned on her side and faced him, her hair falling across her face a little in the process.

"Endymion." He heard her say and his eyes widened and his mind went blank. The first thing that came to his mind was the dreams that he had been having about the Princess. He felt as if he was in a dream at that moment, but also still in Usagi's room. His mind was still somewhat blank, but it was processing what he heard from the sleeping girl beside him.

"Come back. Please come back." He heard her say. "If you can't come back to me… then I will come to you." He heard her say, and he was very aware that that caused him pain but he didn't know why. "I love…" Mamoru strained his ears to hear the rest in his waking/ dream like state, but the rest evaded him.

He was suddenly snapped back into reality when he saw Usagi gasp and sit up out of her sleep.

* * *

Usagi shot up out of her sleep with a pained gasp and her vision blurry. She blinked and realized that her vision was blurry because she was crying. She placed a hand on her chest remembering that it was the pain that woke her. The dream was already fading and the only thing she remembered was a name and the sad pain that it brought to her heart.

_Endymion_. She thought and she felt the tears streaming down her face. She suddenly felt a warm hand on her face, on her left cheek, wiping away her tears. Even with how she was feeling, it was impossible for her not to feel the electric jolts coming from the warm hand. She looked over quickly and saw Mamoru kneeling on the floor looking at her in concern.

Mamoru couldn't stop himself from wiping away Usagi's tears. He had never seen her like this and the way he was feeling from the name she spoke left him confused. _Why did hearing that name make me feel this way, and why does the simple act of wiping away her tears comfort me?_ He wondered as he watched Usagi look at him for the first time since waking. _She must not have realized that I was here when she first woke, and I can understand why._ He thought as he looked into her sad eyes. "Are you okay?" He asked quietly.

Usagi blinked and more tears slid down her face, and she felt his thumb slide across her cheek wiping them away. She was stuck for a moment, a little shocked at Mamoru's display of kindness. She took a breath to speak but then frowned as she remembered that she had lost her voice. She turned her head toward her nightstand, which made her feel like she was leaning into his hand. Something she didn't seem to mind at the moment. She then leaned over and grabbed her notebook and pen, turned on the lamp, and began to write her response.

"**I am thank you. Sorry about this. I found out this morning that I lost my voice."** She wrote, then handed Mamoru the notebook. She was very aware that he hadn't removed his hand from her face.

Mamoru pulled his hand away from her face and took the notebook. _Why didn't she answer? Maybe it was because I had my hand on her face, but she didn't seem to mind so maybe not_. He thought as he began to read what she wrote, and his eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh. Okay. Well how are you feeling?" He asked as he handed the notebook back.

_How long has he been here, and why does he have that concerned look in his eyes? Maybe it's because I was crying_. Usagi thought as she watched Mamoru read her response. _No it has to be something else. Why is he here anyway? Maybe it's because of Motoki or maybe he himself just wanted to check on me, but then what about his classes? I hope he didn't skip school to see me. I'd be shocked if he did_. She thought as she took the notebook back and listened to his question.

"**I'm pretty much the same as yesterday. The only new thing is the loss of my voice."** She wrote, then glanced at her balcony and added **"Oh and the light hurts my eyes, which is why it's so dark in here. I woke up this morning and the sun blinded me and aggravated my headache."** She finished then handed him the notebook and watched him read.

Mamoru read her answer and nodded. "You must have had a migraine." He said as he looked at her and handed her the notebook back.

Usagi nodded her head and took the notebook back. She then gazed at Mamoru for a long moment then began to write. **"How long have you been here?"** She wrote and showed him.

"A little more than half an hour." He said and hesitated, wondering if he should bring up the dream she had just had. "My classes were cancelled today, so I went to pick up your homework and class work then I came here. Your mom said that you were asleep but that I could wait in your room until you woke up." He said.

Usagi was surprised that he took the trouble of going to her school and getting her work for her, and also that he actually stayed – that he wanted to see her. What she was seeing from Mamoru these days was making her want to get to know him better.

"So I came here and waited for you to wake up, and after a while you started to talk." He said quietly as he watched her reaction.

Usagi was shocked at what she heard. She didn't talk in her sleep. If she did someone would have told her about it long ago. She frowned thoughtfully as she began to write. **"First off, thank you for getting my school work for me. It means a great deal that you would do that for me." **Here she paused, wondering if she should thank him for staying to visit with her. She decided that she would. Being nice to him was apart of the new her or the other her, and he was making it easy by being nice and considerate himself. Plus she had promised herself yesterday. **"I also want to thank you for staying and visiting with me. You're the only person outside my family that knows I'm sick. Well Motoki knows by now I'm sure, but because of that I'm not likely to get visitors. Secondly, I don't usually talk in my sleep, since I'm sure that if I did someone would have told me by now. So I'm curious to know what I said."** Here she paused again. _Should I tell him that I don't remember my dream or even if I really want to know what I said?_

Mamoru watched as Usagi wrote, paused, and repeated the process. Then she looked at him as if she were searching for something. He thought she must have found it because she started writing again.

"**The dreams I've been having lately are such that I only remember two things. A name and what the name makes me feel. It's weird because I don't know who the person is, but the feelings are so strong that it makes me feel like I do know."** She wrote then handed Mamoru the notebook and waited.

As Mamoru read what Usagi wrote he found himself admiring her handwriting. _It's neat and something else. Almost…graceful in it's flow._ He thought. He then concentrated on what she said about not getting visitors. From that he knew that her friends didn't know, and that they were probably still not getting along. _I still need to talk to her about that_. He thought then moved on to the rest of her response. _Humm…I wonder why she can't remember the dream._ He thought as he handed the notebook back.

He thought for a few more moments on what she wrote, then looked at her and watched as she moved her pillow so that she could sit up against her headboard. Then she looked at him and he couldn't bring himself to look away.

When Usagi was done settling, she sighed tiredly and looked at Mamoru, only to find him looking at her already. They locked eyes and she found that she could not look away. She couldn't even blink, but then she was glad that she couldn't because she would have missed the look that passed through his eyes. What she saw looked like caring and compassion, and she was surprised yet again by what she was seeing from him recently.

Mamoru saw lingering sadness in her eyes from the dream as well as surprise. _That's probably from what she saw in my eyes. I wonder how she's feeling, health wise anyway._ "From what I saw and heard it seemed that whatever you dreamed about caused you a great deal of pain. What if I tell you and then you remember something you don't want to?" He said.

Usagi listened to what Mamoru said then looked at her notebook. _What if he's right? Just the man's name provokes intense feelings. What if I'm not supposed to remember? Maybe there's a reason I always forget the dreams._ She thought then took a slow deep breath. _Endymion_. She thought and she squeezed her eyes shut at the pain and sadness that entered her heart. She then opened her eyes and began to write.

"**You're right. Maybe I shouldn't know, and besides. I'm really not in the best condition for the feelings it might bring up."** She wrote then handed Mamoru the notebook.

Mamoru watched Usagi as she thought about what he said. He found that he was irritated that she could not talk to him, and realized that he missed hearing her voice. All those times they argued with each other and he was just now realizing how much he liked her voice. _What will I realized I like about her next?_ He thought a little wearily yet curiously. He knew that he liked Sailor Moon a lot, and he wasn't sure he wanted to realize anything else that he liked about Usagi for fear of what it might mean or lead to.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the pained look that crossed her face. _I wonder what she was thinking about._ He thought as he watched her write. He then took the notebook and read her response. Again he began to think about how she was doing, and decided to change the subject. "How did you sleep last night? Was it hard for you to go to sleep?" He asked as he handed the notebook back.

Usagi turned to another page and began to write. **"It wasn't hard for me to get to sleep. I was tired and weak, still am actually, but my dad brought me some NyQuil so I slept very well."** She wrote and handed him the notebook.

Mamoru took the notebook and read her reply. "Well I'm glad you slept well and I hope you sleep well tonight." He said as he handed the notebook back and looked at her. _The bandage is still there. I wonder how that gash is doing. Her fever too_. "Can I see how that gash is doing?" He asked and watched as she nodded her head. He leaned over and took the bandage off slowly and looked at it. He was surprised at how fast it was healing, but glad that it looked well.

Usagi was very aware of how close they were, and of the electric sparks she could feel from his touch. He had his left hand right under her ear, holding her jaw and neck with his fingers in her hair as he looked at the healing gash on her forehead. She left her eyes closed while he examined it, because she was afraid of the reaction she would have if she looked at him that close to her. She was surprised at what she was thinking. She shouldn't have a reaction at all! This was Mamoru…Baka. The guy who constantly teased and irritated and argued with her. The guy who came after her, carried her home, and took care of her when she passed out. The same guy who went out of his way to get her school work and visit with her even at the risk of his own health…

Mamoru carefully checked Usagi's forehead for her fever and felt that it was still there but that it was low. _Why does she have her eyes closed?_ He wondered as his eyes shifted from her forehead to her eyes. _What is she thinking about? Does she feel those electric sparks too?_ He thought as he found himself enjoying the feel of her hair. He hadn't seen her hair down since the night they ran into each other, and he wondered why she didn't do it more often.

_I know I like it that way_. He blinked at that. _What the hell am I doing?! I shouldn't be thinking anything like that about Usagi…Odango, but she's different_. He thought. He was learning more about her the longer he stayed with her these past few days, and he liked what he saw. He liked her before the changes but he liked her even more now.

Mamoru needed to distract himself from those thoughts so he started to speak. "It's healing nicely. I think you should leave the bandage off so it can get some air. As for the fever…well it's still there but it's not high." He said as he slid his hand away from her face and sat back down.

Usagi opened her eyes when Mamoru began to speak and saw a look in his eyes, but she couldn't tell what it was. When he slid his hand away she felt a sadness creep up and she quickly looked down to her notebook to hide it from him. _What is going on with me?! It must be because I'm sick. I shouldn't be feeling sad because he's not touching me anymore._ She thought as she began to write.

"**I'll do that then." **She wrote then glanced up at him and saw him looking back at her. She looked back down and continued to write**. "You know, not that I'm not grateful for the company, but if you keep hanging around me you're going to get sick too."** She paused for a moment then continued. **"I don't want you to get sick because of me."** She finished and handed him the notebook.

Mamoru read her reply and had to hold back the smile that threatened to show on his face. _She's grateful for me being here and concerned about my health. See?! I learn more about her every minute._ He thought as he handed her notebook back. He was about to answer her when her mother suddenly walked into the room.

"Oh Usagi. You're awake and you look like you're doing okay. Are you hungry or thirsty?" Her mother asked as she stood on the right side of her bed. Usagi shook her head in the negative.

Mamoru frowned at that. He had a feeling she hadn't eaten in a while and she needed to keep herself feed if she was going to get better. "When was the last time you ate?" He asked her.

Usagi thought for a few moments then began to write. **"The day before yesterday. Maybe. I'm not sure."** She wrote, then handed the notebook to Mamoru and waited to see what he would say.

Mamoru read and frowned at that. "You need to eat something or at least drink some orange juice. You have to keep your energy up so you can get better otherwise you won't." He said as he handed the notebook back. "Drink some orange juice. It'll help you get energy and keep you hydrated. Please." He finished.

Usagi's eyebrows rose in surprise as she looked at Mamoru. He had never used the word 'please' with her and she didn't know what to do for a moment. She knew that everything he said was true and even though she wasn't hungry or thirsty she would drink some orange if nothing else.

She nodded her head to him then began to write. **"I'll drink some orange juice, but I can't eat right now. I'm just not hungry."** She wrote and handed the notebook to her mother. _Not to mention I don't think I could eat in front of Mamoru_. She thought and she didn't even want to analyze why she couldn't. She never had a problem eating in front of anyone.

Ikuko read the note then handed the notebook back to Usagi. "I'll be right back with some okay?" She said then left the room.

When her mother left Mamoru answered her earlier concern. "Thanks for your concern, but I'll take my chances. I can take care of myself if I get sick." He said and then paused, wondering if now was the right time to bring up what was going on between her and her friends. He opened his mouth to speak, but then her mother walked in with her orange juice.

"Here you go honey. If you two need me I'll be either in the kitchen or the living room." Ikuko said as she handed her a glass full of cold orange juice then walked out of the room.

Mamoru watched Usagi as she looked at the orange juice with a look of fear on her face, and he was about to ask why when she took a sip and then grimaced as she swallowed it and put a hand on her throat. _Oh! That's right. She has a sore throat so everything must hurt, but she still needs to drink._ He thought. "You said before that no one outside your family besides me and Motoki knows that you're sick." He said and watched as she nodded and began to take another sip. "Does that mean you're still not getting along with your friends?" He asked and watched as she froze in the middle of drinking her juice.

Usagi listened to Mamoru and if she hadn't froze she would have chocked on the juice she was forcing herself to drink. She realized that this was the second time he had asked about what was up with her and the girls, and she wondered if she should tell him what was wrong. Or at least some of what was wrong since she couldn't tell him about the Senshi part of the problem. She finished the sip she had been taking and looked Mamoru in the eye, searching to see if he actually cared to know. She didn't want to waist her time and energy writing it out if he didn't.

As if Mamoru knew what she was looking for he spoke. "I've noticed the way you've been acting lately. You're really close to those girls. I'd even go so far as to say they're your only friends. When you're not getting along with them you're a completely different person, and not in a good way." He said then sighed. "I don't like to see you that way. It's not you." He finished quietly.

Usagi put her glass of juice on her nightstand next to her cold medicine and began to write with a sigh. **"It's a long story, and to be honest I can only tell you half of it without betraying an obligation. Even if it's an obligation I relinquished. Also, it's going to take me forever to write."** She wrote then handed Mamoru the notebook.

Mamoru read what Usagi wrote and wondered what that obligation was. "I don't mind. I'll snoop around your room while you write." He said with a smile as he handed the notebook back.

Usagi took the notebook and frowned slightly at his words wondering why he would want to snoop around her room, but then she shook off the thought since she knew that she would do the same thing if she had the chance. It would help her get to know him better, so that's what she considered him to be doing…getting to know her better.

She shifted around and pulled her knees up slightly so that she could lean the notebook against her legs and write while leaning back. She took a long drink from her orange juice, grimaced from the pain, then began to write and explain some of what happened between her and the girls and what she was feeling about all of it.

Mamoru watched as Usagi began to write. After a few minutes he stood, stretched, and began to walk around her room looking more closely at things he had only seen at a distance or didn't bother looking at the day before. He started with her vanity table; he was mostly curious as to whether it was lipstick or lip-gloss that sat atop it. _Ah lip-gloss. I've never seen her wear lipstick, but I'm sure she has some around here somewhere. She probably only brings it out for special occasions._ He thought as he continued to look at and around her vanity.

He had told Usagi that he would snoop around, but he didn't mean it too literally. He wouldn't go pulling open drawers or go rummaging in her closet. Although he was curious at what kind of clothes she wore outside of her school uniform. He had only seen her once or twice in regular clothes, and it was only for brief moments as they yelled at each other.

Mamoru moved away from her closet before he was tempted to open it and take a look. He walked over to her floor desk, sat down, and began to look at her textbooks. _Intermediate Algebra. Hmm…I wonder if she's any good at it. History, Biology. Oh! Forget the math; I want to know if she's any good at this_. He thought as he opened her human biology textbook, and began to flip through it.

Usagi sighed quietly. She was finding it a little hard to write and explain the problem and complaints of her friends. The main reason being the fact that a great deal of them centered on the Sailor Senshi. Even with those difficulties she was able to get it all written down.

_Wow. That took forever_. She thought and looked her clock to see what time it was. _An hour. It took me and hour to write five pages. Well they are front and back but still_. She thought with a sigh. _Okay. Time to get his attention since he's the one who wanted to know_. She thought as she carefully and quietly ripped out a piece of paper. She was doing her best to hold back the pain and tears that remembering all those events had caused, so she balled up her paper and looked at Mamoru. His back was turned to her, so with a tired smile she launched the paper ball. Months of throwing her tiara around as Sailor Moon had made her aim perfect, and she hit him squarely in the head.

Mamoru shook his head slowly, with a light laugh, and closed the literature book he had been reading when he felt a soft thud against the back of his head. _She must be done_. He thought as he stood up and walked over to Usagi's bedside. "You're lucky that didn't hurt." He said teasingly as he sat down on the floor.

Usagi rolled her eyes at his statement, handed him the notebook, and grabbed her orange juice. She took a few sips, preferring for once the pain in her throat, hoping to keep herself from crying. She had already cried enough in front of Mamoru because of her dream, and didn't want to repeat her actions again.

Mamoru settled back against Usagi's bed with a sigh after taking the notebook. "Here goes." He said and began to read, hoping that knowing about the situation between the girls would help him know how to help her.


	7. Senshi Thoughts and Secrets Revealed

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

_**Author's Note**__**: Edited: 1/18/10**_

Senshi Thoughts and Secrets Revealed

Usagi sat there in her bed forcing herself to drink her orange juice, and watching Mamoru as he read through her explanation of the issues she and the girls were having. She wondered what he was thinking while reading it. Did he think she was being childish? Did he agree with the girls? Did he agree with her?

_How __**do**__ I feel about what happened between the girls and me?_ She thought to herself. _I'm still hurt by what they said about my behavior and how they were treating me. I didn't deserve it…I __**don't**__ deserve it, and I don't understand why they were doing it. It's like I told them that day…they really didn't mind the way I acted when we met._ She thought as she took another sip of her juice. _I don't understand. A few weeks ago we were all fine. They laughed off my klutziness and laziness. They rolled their eyes and smiled when they would try and get me to do my work. Sometimes I would do it and sometimes I wouldn't, but they were never angry about it._

_I guess maybe it was inevitable that they would grow tired of my constant laziness and lack of wanting to further my education. Couple that with my total lack of skill as a senshi and you get a rift between best friends._ She thought with a sigh. _They just wouldn't understand my reasoning for doing what I have been doing since I was old enough to reason for myself. They would just think I was worried about growing up or something, but that's not the case at all and I wish I could tell them and know that they would __**really**__ understand._ She thought with another sigh and sip of her juice as she watched Mamoru read. _Why can't they be happy or at least settle for the fact that I do well enough not to flunk out of school? And these last days don't count. They know that I'm not what they thought I was. That I'm not stupid and lazy, but it won't last. What I'm doing now won't last. I want to be carefree and free of responsibilities while I can_.

_I wonder if we will get pass this. If we will stay friends._ She thought sadly. _Well…Ami seems to be trying to make an effort. I hope she understands what I was saying and told Makoto and Rei, because I really miss them and want them to understand how wrong they were and how much they hurt me._ she thought and then shook her head slightly. _I want us to continue to be friends if we can, but I know it will never be the same because I'm not a senshi anymore._ She thought and sighed quietly. _What they said about my abilities as a senshi were true, and I am glad that I am no longer there to endanger their lives. Tuxedo Kamen's life as well._

As Mamoru read Usagi's words he began to understand the rift between her and her friends, and also the changes he was seeing in her.

_So all these things…going to school early, doing her homework, actually caring about school…is to show them that she could do it as easily as they could. That she could do it if she wanted to, and the only reason she didn't was because she __**didn't**__ want to_. He thought as he began to read her reasoning behind the way she had been acting since before they met. She explained how she had always had a strong feeling that when she was older she wouldn't be able to act the way he had always known her to, and he could tell that she didn't mean the fact that she would grow up, get a job, and have responsibilities.

Mamoru understood her feelings and could relate with the fact that he too felt that when he was older he wouldn't be able to goof off and be silly and have fun whenever he wanted. He never knew why he felt that way, but the fact that he didn't really have many friends and spent most of his time studying and being alone didn't help the matter. He was beginning to think that he would never have any fun, that he would never spend an entire day laughing or doing nothing but play. But then he remembered that his opinion on that matter had changed a little. It changed when he first met Usagi. Their daily run ins, teasing, and yelling had actually made him happy at times.

"So this is why you haven't been getting along with them." He said as he turned and placed the notebook on her lap and watched as she nodded her head. "I think…I think that your friends are in the wrong. Sure you should be on time to school, do your homework, and study, but it's like you said…you didn't do those things even before you met them so they shouldn't be angry about it. Now that I think about it they didn't seem to mind when they first met you and even after that they didn't seem to mind." He said then paused for a moment. "Actually they didn't seem to mind anything about you, so I don't understand why this is even happening." He finished.

Usagi sighed a relieved sigh. She was starting to convince herself that he would agree with the girls. She didn't understand that well either but she understood enough for it to hurt, so she picked up her pen after placing her cup on her nightstand, turned to a blank page and began to write.

**I didn't really understand myself…I still don't understand that well, but it might be more difficult for you because of the other half of the explanation that I can't tell you**. She wrote and handed the notebook to Mamoru.

"Oh yeah. I had forgotten about that part." He said after reading her words. "Does it play a big part?" he asked as he handed her notebook back.

Usagi thought about how bad she was at fighting, how she always seemed to get in the way rather then help, how she always needed to be saved, and how she could get them killed whenever she tried to help, and nodded her head with a sad sigh as she began to write.

**It does play a big part. A ****very**** big part. It's more then half the problem actually**. She wrote and handed the notebook to him.

Mamoru read her words and frowned. He wanted to ask her what it was since it was clearly the majority of the reason for their fractured friendship, but she had already told him that she couldn't because she would be betraying an obligation. "So have you talked to them or have they talked to you since this happened?" he asked as he handed the notebook back to her.

**Ami talked to me yesterday in class before I ditched to try and make my way home. She wanted to know how I was able to do my homework and finish a pop quiz before her and actually pass it when I never studied. I told her I did it the same way everyone else did…I paid attention in class and retained the information. Of course she was surprised by my answer seeing as how I never studied when we all got together to do that, and in class I draw instead of taking notes and on other occasions I always appear to be asleep. Then she asked why I was doing it now instead of having done it all along, and why hadn't I been doing it all along. I told her that I was doing it because I wanted to and because of the things they had said to me, and I also told her that there was a reason that she wouldn't understand. She was quiet for a while after that and then she tried to apologize to me.** she wrote and handed the notebook to Mamoru and drunk some more of her orange juice.

Mamoru smiled when he read the part where she said that she had paid attention in class and remembered the information. _I wonder what Ami said as an apology and what Usagi said, especially since it sounds like she didn't accept her apology_. "What did she say when she tried to apologize, and what did you say because it sounds like you didn't accept it." He said as he handed her notebook back.

Usagi thought about his words as she put her orange juice down and grabbed her pen. She remembered Ami's attempt at an apology very well, as well as the answer she had given her in return. **She said she was sorry and then I asked her why because I wanted to make sure she was ready to say it. She said she was sorry for saying that I always sleep in class, that I don't do my homework, that I never study, and for how she behaved the night you and I ran into each other. Oh! That reminds me. I wanted to thank you for telling them. I don't think they would have noticed otherwise. Anyway, so after I listened to her apology I asked her if that was all she was sorry for, and she said that she was sorry for everything. I told her that she wasn't sorry because she couldn't be sorry for everything if she didn't know what she had done, and I told her that unlike other times a general apology wouldn't work. I wanted her to know and understand what she had done, so that if she decided to apologize again it would be real because it would mean something to me. We didn't get to talk anymore because our break was over, and I had left school grounds before she got back to class anyway.** She wrote and handed Mamoru the notebook.

Mamoru read her words and smiled at her thank you. He wondered how Ami had behaved when they had met up that night. He wondered how Makoto and Rei behaved as well. _It clearly isn't something good if Ami is apologizing for it. I don't understand. She was running around at night, looking like she had just rolled out of bed, saying that her friends needed her so much, that it was an emergency and then they don't behave very nicely?_ He thought in confusion as he handed the notebook back. _Did the nature of the emergency change? Was there really __**even**__ an emergency at all? I mean what were they all doing awake at that time of night? Even I would have been asleep had I been at home._ He thought with a slight frown. _I guess I won't get an answer if I ask since it's probably apart of that obligation she mentioned before._

"Well hopefully all they need is time. If Ami has come around and tried to work things out then it shouldn't be too long before Makoto and Rei do the same." He said as he looked at her. _Should I ask her about Rei? About why she seems so mean to her these days? No. No I'll save that for another time._ "You know what you said about not being able to act like you do now when you get older, well I understand what you meant by that. I've had that same feeling for as long as I can remember." He said as he leaned against her bed and looked at the blanket covering her balcony doors.

_He understands._ She thought and then sighed. _He could just be saying that to make me feel better._ She thought as she began to write. **I hope your right about the girls. Hopefully Ami told Makoto and Rei, so that might save some time. I hope. I really do miss them even though I'm still angry with them. Anyway, what you just said about understanding what I meant about getting older…do you really mean it?** She wrote and handed the notebook to him.

Mamoru read Usagi's words and handed the notebook back. "I really do mean it. I…" he hesitated, not sure if he wanted to share this part of himself with her. _Well she's been sharing so much of herself with me, so I should do the same._ He thought with a slight nod of his head. "I never knew why I felt that way. I tried to figure I out, but I never could." He said with a sigh. "It doesn't help that I spend most of my time alone studying or doing whatever. I don't have a lot of friends, so I haven't had too many opportunities to just play around and have fun. Motoki's my best friend and he doesn't even know about this. It's like you said before…he wouldn't understand." He said as he played with the edges of her covers. "Honestly…you're lucky that you've been able to act the way you have. You've been able to get that release, but I haven't. I mean you've seen how I am. That's just not me." he finished.

**No that's not you. You seem like the quiet type…at least before you notice that I'm in the room. It doesn't matter that you don't have many friends. I think that just one friend would do. It would have to be the right person, someone who knows your personality well enough to have you laughing and having fun before you even know it.** She wrote and handed him the notebook.

Mamoru read her words and smiled when he read the part about him being quiet until he knew she was in the room. _She's right about that._ He thought as he read the rest of her words. "That sounds simple enough. I guess I haven't found the right person yet." He said quietly as he handed the notebook back.

**Don't worry Mamoru. I'm sure you'll find the right person soon.** She wrote and handed him the notebook.

After that they continued to talk about their feelings and what they thought about not being able to freely act the way they wanted when they got older. They talked for so long that it was almost time for her father to arrive home from work.

"I'm going to go before your dad gets here, so you relax, try to get some rest, and I'll visit again tomorrow." He said as he got to his feet. He smiled when he saw her smile and nod her head, and then he walked out of her room. As he was closing the door he saw her reach into the drawer of the nightstand on her right, and what she pulled out completely shocked and surprised him.

Mamoru watched, slowly closing the door, as Usagi slipped her hand through the thin chain and held the golden star locket in her hand with a happy yet sad look on her face.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi gazed at the star locket as she thought about Tuxedo Kamen and Mamoru's words. She wondered if he would agree with her the way Mamoru had, if he too would understand, and if he missed her the way she missed him.

_Tuxedo Kamen_. She thought with a sigh as she leaned back against her pillows. _Mamoru reminds me of him. He seems to know what to say to make me feel better, and his taking care of me is like how Tuxedo Kamen was always saving me._ she thought as she placed the locket on her lap and began to wonder if she was starting to like Mamoru. She remembered the electric sparks she felt whenever he touched her, the way she felt when he was checking the wound on her forehead, and how she felt as he carried her in his arms.

Usagi was beginning to see a new side to Mamoru that she didn't think he had. A side that she liked. _I wonder if I'm the only one who's seen it. The only one he's showed it to._ She wondered as she scooted down so that she was lying down in her bed. She then opened the locket and let the melody wash over her.

_Do I like two guys now? What am I going to do about it?_ She thought with a slight frown, but then she realized that she didn't have to do anything. Tuxedo Kamen was someone she would never see again, and it didn't help that she didn't know who he was. Mamoru was just someone who was being nice to her because she was sick. It wasn't as if he felt anything for her. _He's a baka anyway._ She thought with a quiet sad sigh. _My mind is just reading too much into what's only kindness on his part._ Those thoughts made her cry. As if being sick, and having troubles with the girls wasn't enough. She had to have non-existent guy troubles on top of all that.

That made her think of the guy from her dreams. _Endymion._ The man's name came to her and was quickly followed by intense feelings of sadness and pain that made her cry even harder.

She couldn't stop her tears, so she cried until she fell asleep- still listening to the lockets melody.

Hours later…

Usagi woke with the sound of the locket still playing, and she quickly closed it. She may have been half asleep but she knew that it would make her remember what she had been thinking about before she fell asleep. She then slipped her hand from the chain and pushed it under her pillow.

_I might as well take my medicine since I'm woke._ She thought tiredly as she picked up her bottle of NyQuil and took some. After she put the bottle down she pushed her covers back and forced herself out of her bed to make her way to the bathroom. The only reason she had woke up was because she had to pee really bad.

She was able to walk until she reached the hallway just outside her door, and then what little strength she had failed her and she leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. She had to go really bad so she began to crawl to the bathroom. As she crawled she realized that it must be late since all the lights were off and the house was quiet.

After she had used the bathroom she mustered the strength to stand at the sink to wash her hands and brush her teeth. She wasn't doing much talking these days but she still had to breath and she didn't want her breath to reek. She then made her way back to her room and collapsed on her bed, having used all her energy walking. Not to mention her cold medicine was starting to take effect.

Usagi saw some light coming through the sides of the blanket her mother had put up and she knew that the Moon was out and very visible. She wanted to see it so she rolled along her bed until she tumbled off the other side and onto the floor. She lay there for a moment, resting while she got herself free from her hair, and then crawled over to her balcony doors and snatched the blanket down. She did a poor job of folding the blanket as she knelt on the floor, pushed it to the side, and then opened the thin curtains so that the moon was visible and its light shone on her.

She sighed, feeling a little better since she could now see the moon, and hoped that the sun didn't blind her in the morning. _If I'm lucky it'll be a dull cloudy day and I won't have to worry at all._ She thought as she crawled back and in her bed. She pulled her locket from under her pillow, slipped her right hand through the chain, and lay there facing the balcony- looking at the moon until she fell asleep.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru stood there, leaning against Usagi's bedroom door, still shocked and surprised. All he could think was: _The star locket. Usagi has the star locket, and that means that she's Sailor Moon._ He then pushed away from her door and walked down the stairs, his body operating on autopilot. His mind was still in too much shock and surprise to put forth effort into things that came automatically.

He was aware of saying goodbye to Mrs. Tsukino and staying long enough to be introduced to Usagi's little brother, whose name he learned was Shingo, and who seemed surprised to see him. His mind couldn't process why her little brother looked so surprised, but he had a feeling it was because he had just come from his sister's room. He then left the Tsukino house, got into his car, and began to drive while his thoughts had free rein.

_She has the locket. The locket I gave to Sailor Moon. There's no way that Sailor Moon would give that away, so that means Usagi must really be Sailor Moon._ He thought as he remembered what he had learned from Sailor Mercury about them having problems and Sailor Moon resigning. _The obligation! That's it! The other half she couldn't tell me about was the problems she was having with the Senshi. It makes sense. The things that have been happening between Usagi and her friends and Sailor Moon and the Senshi all happened at the same time._ He thought as he reached his apartment building.

_How did I get here in one piece?_ He wondered as he parked in the underground parking garage. He hadn't been paying attention to the road at all, and counted himself lucky that he hadn't gotten into an accident. After he finished parking he took the elevator to his floor and went to his apartment. Once he was inside he tossed his keys on the side table, slipped out of his shoes, and stretched out on his couch facing his balcony and continued his thoughts.

_No wonder Usagi's been looking so sad. Her friends have basically turned on her. She gets no relief from it. They complain about how she's doing in school, her behavior when she's with them, and when they're in their Senshi form- and most likely outside it- they complain about her fighting skills and being late to battles._ He thought as he closed his eyes and draped his left arm over his face.

_Even I've been late to battles! Did they not stop and think about what all their criticism and complaining would do to her? I know I did. I know I teased her a lot, but it was like I couldn't help myself. I never meant any of it. I could tell when she wasn't being clumsy or klutzy that she was kind of graceful. I could hear the intelligence come through when we were yelling at each other, and it always made me wonder why she got bad grades. My yelling and teasing probably didn't make her feel any better though. I always wondered if that might be the case._ He thought with a sigh.

Mamoru then began to think about the letter he had written for Sailor Moon. How he thought of Usagi as Sailor Moon, and how he felt about her. _That's right. That means it's actually Usagi that I like. That I could possibly be in love with._ He thought as he looked up at his ceiling. _Well I already liked Usagi. I mean she's the only girl I've ever paid so much attention to. Not including everything that's happened since we ran into each other that night. Then after the things I felt today…I must like her. The fact that she's Sailor Moon just makes me like her more._ He thought as he sat up and made his way to his kitchen.

Once there he grabbed the plate of cookies Mrs. Tsukino made for him, and went and made himself comfortable on the couch. He then turned the T.V. on and started nibbling on a cookie. It only took him a few moments of starring at the T.V. to combine what he felt for Sailor Moon and what he felt for Usagi, and realized that it all- in fact- did lead to him being in love with her.

_I'm in love with Odango Atama._ He thought, shaking his head with a smile forming on his face. _That was the last thing I ever thought would happen to me._ he thought, but then his smile faded. _I know that she likes Tuxedo Kamen, but how does she feel about me? I haven't exactly been nice to her since meeting her. She's seen a different side of me these past few days, but is that enough? Would she be okay with learning that I'm the one she's been missing? That I'm the one who's been keeping her safe during fights, encouraging her to never give up, staying close when she needed comfort, and giving her proud smiles when she dusted a youma._ He thought with a sigh.

_I've got to get my letter to her. It __**has**__ to start there._ He thought as he grabbed and stuffed a cookie into his mouth as he got to his feet and headed to his balcony. He paused, pulled a rose from his subspace pocket, and transformed into his tuxedo and top hat. He then stepped out onto his balcony and began to jump from one balcony to the other until he reached the roof of the building next to his. Once he landed he ran along the various roofs, heading toward Usagi's house.

On his way he saw a flash of lightening and was very aware that it hadn't come from the sky seeing as how it was a clear cloudless night. _That must be Sailor Jupiter, which means the enemy is attacking._ He thought with a sigh as he began to run faster. _Is that a playground?_ He wondered in alarm as he upped his speed. He knew that it was unlikely that there were any children there, but it never hurt to be sure.

Once he got to the playground he perched high in a tree that was at the edge of the large park behind the playground, and began to assess the scene. He saw that all three senshi were fighting a youma that looked like a jungle jim. From the attacks that hit it, it sounded like it was made of medal, medal bars that were blue, red, and yellow. They looked like they were holding their own against the youma okay, but then it started to throw medal bars at them and unfortunately the playground was surrounded in sand for the protection of children, which made dodging the bars very difficult.

_Hmmm…I don't know if my roses will help in this fight since the youma seems to be made of medal, but I know I have to try even if it doesn't work. Plus they've worked against every youma so far, no matter what they're made of._ He thought as he pulled a rose from his subspace pocket. He aimed carefully since the youma was made of skinny bars, and threw it at its right arm- making it drop the yellow bar it was about to launch at Sailor Mercury. _Well my roses definitely work against it._ He thought as he jumped to the sandy ground- listening to the youma wail in pain.

"Who? Who dares to hurt me? Jimbalina." The jungle jim yelled in outrage. _So it's a female. Where do they get these names?_ He thought as he rolled his eyes. "I do. Tuxedo Kamen. How dare you impersonate a child's play structure. A means to give children the opportunity for fun and lively exercise." He said hoping that his brief speech would give the Senshi a respite. _Ugh! Where do __**I**__ get these speeches?_ "You! You will pay." Jimbalina screeched as she threw a blue bar at him. _Blah, blah. Blah._ He thought as he leaped out of the way, throwing two more roses- one at its right leg, the other at its left arm, and landed easily on the sandy ground next to Sailor Jupiter.

"Tuxedo Kamen. Just in time. Thanks for the help." He heard Sailor Jupiter say as Sailor Mars launched her fire soul attack at Jimbalina. "You all looked like you were doing fine except for dodging her attacks." He said as he watched Sailor Mercury blast Jimbalina with her Mercury bubbles, providing them with some cover for a few moments. "I'm a good fighter Tuxedo Kamen," he heard her say as she shook her head slowly. "but I know when I need help. Sailor Moon taught me that I didn't have to fight alone…that it was okay to ask for help, so thanks for helping and I hope you continue to help us." She finished as Mercury's bubble fog began to clear.

_Here I am learning something new about Usagi yet again_. He thought as he fought back a smile. "Your welcome, and don't worry. I'll be here when I can." He said as he threw another rose, this time at the youma's head.

Sailor Jupiter then ran toward Jimbalina as if she were following his piercing rose and shouted "Supreme Thunder" engulfing the playground in a bright light and zapping the youma causing it to screech as it was electrocuted. As the youma was being electrocuted Tuxedo Kamen began to throw rose after rose at different parts of its body hoping to help weaken it. Apparently Sailor Mars had a similar idea and added her attack, which ultimately destroyed the youma.

He watched as Sailor Mercury made her way to him and he wondered what she was going to say. _I know what I'm going to say. I'm going to ask if they've talked to Sailor Moon even though I know that they haven't, now that I know that Usagi is Sailor Moon._ He thought as he noticed Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars walking toward him.

"Tuxedo Kamen." Sailor Mercury greeted him with a tired smile. "Thank you for helping us." She said as Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mars reached them. "You're welcome." He said and paused for a moment before continuing. "So have you all spoken to Sailor Moon?" he asked as he looked to each of them. "No we haven't." Sailor Mercury said as she shook her head sadly. "I honestly don't know what to say to her." She added.

"Well whatever you say to her I hope you do it soon." He said as he thought of the welfare of not only Usagi but of the city as well. "Why?" Sailor Mars asked in a wary and slightly irritated voice. "Because you can't keep going like this. You can't handle these youma's on your own forever. I won't always be there. In fact, I was only here this time and the last time by chance. My assistance at every fight depends on Sailor Moon being there." He said and paused for a moment as he decided if he wanted to enlighten them on Sailor Moon's very important role. "You know as far as I can tell you're lucky that you've only come across youma's. What will you do if Zoizite shows up and removes a rainbow crystal from a human and they turn into a youma? You can't destroy it and you can't leave it to run around the city. You **need** Sailor Moon. She's the only one who can change them back." He finished.

There was an uncomfortable silence after that and he knew that his words had hit home. They needed Sailor Moon and they knew it. _I need her too_. He thought quietly. "You all need to get her back. You have to fix whatever the problem is. I know you can do it. If you couldn't you wouldn't have met each other and you wouldn't have been put into a group the way you have." He said as he looked to each of them. They looked like they were hanging on his every word. Even Sailor Mars, although she looked like she was trying to hide that fact. "You all work well together whether you know it or not, so I know that you'll work through this and be stronger because of it." He said and as was his fashion, he made his exit quickly and quietly, jumping into a tree and disappearing altogether.

Once he was clear of their eyes and sure that they weren't following him he made his way through the park and continued toward Usagi's house. After he reached her neighborhood he sat on the roof of the house across from Usagi's and just looked at her house, wondering how he was going to get his letter to her.

_The lights are off so everyone must be asleep. It is late and Shingo has school in the morning and Mr. Tsukino has work. I'd probably be headed to sleep soon if I didn't have to do some studying when I got back home. I just hope that I can stop thinking about Usagi and the Senshi long enough to do it._ He thought as his eyes roamed over Usagi's house. _I could put it in the mailbox and when they get the mail they could bring it to her…oh but no. I can't do that since I didn't put her name on it, and I certainly don't want any of them opening it to find out who it's for. I mean it's addressed to Sailor Moon for goodness sakes, and that would give away Usagi's secret._ He thought with a sigh. He was sure that her family didn't know who she was. It wasn't something she was likely to share for fear that they may be hurt because of it. That or they wouldn't approve and make things difficult for her when it came time for her to run out to a fight.

_So what am I going to do? I don't want to hand it to her myself. I want her to have a chance to think about what I wrote without me sitting right there. Not to mention that's not how I want her to find out about me being Tuxedo Kamen. Hmmmm….oh! I can just leave it in her room. Next to her bed._ He thought as he saw that the curtains to her balcony windows were open. _Why didn't I notice that before?! I wonder why she did that._ He thought as he quickly made his way to her roof. _It doesn't matter. I'm just glad that she did it. I hope she isn't awake._ He thought as he dropped lightly onto her balcony.

Tuxedo Kamen looked through the window doors of Usagi's bedroom and saw her lying in bed, sound asleep with her hair falling over the side of the bed. He put his gloved hand on the doorframe as he wondered how he was going to get the door open, and almost fell on his back when he leaned against the door and it swung open. He quickly righted himself and walked over to her bed, knelt on the floor and gazed at her. He wanted to touch her hair so badly and to see if she still had the locket around her wrist, but he controlled himself and began to look around and see where he could put his letter.

_I don't want her to have to struggle to get it since she's not feeling well, and I don't want to put it somewhere where her mother or father would see it before she did. She wouldn't be able to explain it and I don't want her to have to._ He thought as he looked back to her face.

Looking at her face, her hair, and her pillow gave him an idea of where to place his letter. He decided to place it between her blanket and her pillow, close to her face, so that she would smell the rose and be aware of it or feel it when she moved. He hoped, as he pulled the letter from his subspace pocket that she would smell the rose, wake up, and read it.

After placing the letter he straightened, and as he began to turn Usagi moved and he froze. He watched as she stretched her legs and arms and settled with her right hand on the pillow next to her face, just missing his letter. Then the frozen cautious expression on his face softened into a warm smile as he saw the gold chain around her wrist, and he knew that she still wore the locket.

He then slipped out of her room, closing the door behind him, which was tricky since there was no handle on the outside and little space at the top and bottom to slip his fingers through, but he managed it. He then made his way home, letting his transformation fade once he was back inside his apartment, and immediately went back to his couch and cookies.

Mamoru sat there for a while, nibbling on his cookies and starring blankly at the T.V. as he wondered when Usagi would discover his letter and what her reaction would be. He then changed into a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt and began to study. He studied for almost two hours with only a few stray thoughts about Usagi and the Senshi disrupting him before he decided to head to bed.

**Girl's POV**

After Usagi's intense words and resignation the girls were feeling lost. All the girls except one. Rei was fine with the way things turned out while Ami and Makoto were not. They never wanted Usagi to stop being Sailor Moon. They just wanted her to act and do better. They all, Rei included, had been in complete shock after Usagi left the meeting with a parting plea to relay her last words to Tuxedo Kamen.

Ami, Makoto, Rei, and Luna sat in complete silence- thick with shock and surprise- at what had just happened.

"I can't believe this." Ami whispered as she slowly shook her head. "Well…" Rei began, and then paused. "Well she wasn't a good senshi anyway, and it's like she said- now we can pick a new leader." She finished. "Are you serious?!" Makoto burst out as she sprang to her feet. "This wasn't supposed to happen. She was just supposed to listen and really hear what we were saying. Not quit! I didn't even know we **could** quit." She finished.

"What Usagi said…is true too." Ami began. "At least it is for me. I didn't mind the way she acted when she first became my friend." _In fact, I liked it. She's the reason I've had fun these past months._ She thought sadly. "It is for me too." Makoto said. _Usagi didn't care about my reputation for fighting. She didn't even hesitate to befriend me._

"Things are different now. We're Senshi. We have to start taking everything we do more seriously. Including our school work." Rei said. "But from what Usagi said it seems like we don't know the whole story. We've never asked why she says and does the things she does. There could be a perfectly good explanation." Makoto said.

"If there was an explanation she would have told us already." Rei countered. "Why would she? She's been like this since we all met…even before we met her. Even before Luna came along! There was no reason to tell us, especially since we **didn't** seem to care when we first met her." Ami said.

They sat in silence for a while, each of them thinking through what had been said and what they had wanted to happen instead of Usagi leaving the group.

"She may have an explanation for why she doesn't do well in school and her clumsiness, but there's no explanation for her behavior as a senshi. Even she said we were right about that." Luna said as she walked over to the broach, the Luna pen, the communicator, and Crescent Moon wand, and placed them back in her subspace pocket. She didn't want any of the girls taking them; they belonged to the senshi of the moon and no one else. "Luna's right. There's no explanation for why she's always late to fights, why she's always hesitating to fight, and when she does fight why she's not good at it." Rei said. "We really can't keep saving her **and** fight at the same time. At this point if it kept going we'd never find the princess." She finished.

Ami shook her head slowly. She knew that there were some explanations and that there had to be more. This day just had not gone the way she thought it would, and she needed some time to think. Time away from everyone.

"I need to leave. I need some time to process everything that's happened." Ami said as she got to her feet. "That's a good idea. You two should do the same." Luna said, looking from Rei to Makoto.

**.:xXx:.**

Luna left the temple with Makoto and Ami veering off in the opposite direction from the girls on their way home, so that she could check on Usagi and make sure she got home okay…if she went home at all. When she reached Usagi's house she climbed a tree to get to her balcony, and saw that Usagi was curled up on her bed fast asleep. She tried to open the closed doors but she found them securely locked.

_I should have guessed after what happened that she wouldn't want me around._ Luna thought as she left Usagi's house and began to slowly make her way back to Rei's temple. She wanted to give Rei time alone so that she could think about what happened. She herself needed time as well to process what had happened, especially since she had the suspicion that something was being kept from her.

When Luna reached the temple she entered through Rei's bedroom window. Rei greeted her as she finished changing into her priestess robes, and then she watched as Rei quietly left her room to do her chores. As Luna rested she was slightly surprised at how quiet Rei was throughout the rest of the day. The only other time Rei spoke was to tell her goodnight.

Luna waited an hour after Rei had gone to sleep then quietly slipped from her room and left the temple. She walked the quiet dark streets and alleys on her way to the downtown area to the destination that would have her out in this area at this time of night. She knew the route by heart having walked and ran it many times. She reached the arcade and opened it with the power of her Moonbeam, and made her way to the Sailor V game.

When the game started up she gave a voice analysis with her pass code and name, and then tapped the screen a few times and gave her password. She listened as the computer-generated voice gave the next part of the password, and then she followed it up with the last of it.

"Have you found the Moon Princess yet?" came the computer voice. "Not yet. The Senshi and I are still searching, but we hope that the rainbow crystals will help." Luna answered. "And do you have the rainbow crystals?" the computer voice asked and Luna sighed. "Sadly we do not. The Negaverse has half and Tuxedo Kamen has the other half. We had to use the only one we had to save a group of civilians." She said.

"Yes, you said before that Sailor Moon had to hand it over to the Negaverse or some teenagers would have died." The computer said. "That is correct." Luna said. "Continue to keep an eye on Tuxedo Kamen. He has been helping the Senshi but he carries half of the rainbow crystals, and because of that we cannot trust him. Not without knowing his reasons. Now, do you have anything to report?" the computer asked, and Luna sighed once again. She was not looking forward to reporting what had happened earlier that day.

"Earlier today the girls had a meeting. They wanted to talk to Usagi…get her to shape up and act better as a student, a person, and a senshi. It didn't go well and Usagi…Usagi quit." Luna said in a stunned voice as if it finally seemed to register to her. Usagi had quit. The first senshi she had found…the leader of the Senshi was no longer a senshi.

There was a long silence in the dark arcade before the computer voice spoke again. "Are you sure Luna? Could she have been joking?" "Yes I'm sure. She formally resigned and gave back her broach, communicator, the Luna pen, and the Crescent Moon wand." Luna said, and there was another long pause. "Explain this Luna. What has been happening to the Senshi these past few weeks that you have not mentioned?" the computer voice asked in a firm tone.

Luna then began to relay the problems the Senshi were having with Usagi both in their everyday lives and as a senshi. She explained how they were all, her included, tired of her klutzy moments, her wailing at the littlest and often insignificant things. Her lack of not taking school seriously- not studying, doing her homework, and sleeping in class and at study sessions. Not taking her responsibilities as a senshi and leader of the Senshi seriously. Sleeping or reading comics during meetings. Being late to battles and hesitating during them, and how her fighting abilities haven't improved.

She then explained what was said and what happened at the meeting and how she was having second thoughts about her negative opinions of Usagi and how she felt like some vital information was being kept from her. She also explained how when she went to check on her she found the balcony doors locked, how it wasn't a problem for her to get in, but that the message was clear.

Again there was another silence this one longer then the last.

"Luna this is serious. You must fix this. You must do all you can to fix this. The girls were chosen. It is their destiny to be the planetary senshi, and because of that there is **no one** else. There **are no** replacements. Usagi **is** the senshi of the Moon, and therefore, she **is** the leader of the Senshi. We have known Usagi's character from the moment you first found her. Her behavior is nothing new, but something…some recent event has taken place among the girls that has escalated to this recent event." The computer voice said and paused for a few moments before continuing. "Watch and listen to the girls. Find out what started all this. You said before that you were having second thoughts about your opinion of Usagi and that something was being kept from you. Find out what information is being kept from you and settle your thoughts concerning Usagi."

"How am I to settle my thoughts with Usagi if she won't allow me in the house?" Luna asked. "Give her a few days. From what you described it sounds as if her feelings were hurt badly. Give her some time to heal, and in the meantime learn what you can from other sources." The computer voice said. "What of the girls? How am I to get them back together? Ami and Makoto will come around soon, but I doubt Rei wants to speak to Usagi. And Usagi is generally a forgiving person, but I have a feeling this time is different." Luna said.

"Luna we have faith that you will get this done. Do not forget that it is their destiny to fight together, and because of that they naturally get along. Remember how easily they got along together when they first met and use that. Those fond feelings are still there. Find the problem…the real problem and everything will work out." The computer voice said. "I understand central control. I will do and use everything within my power to fix the problem and reunite the Senshi." Luna said.

"Keep us updated and report your findings as soon as possible." The computer voice said. "Yes. I will." Luna said firmly. "And Luna? We do not need to mention that you must hurry before the Negaverse becomes aware and takes advantage?" the computer voice said. "I understand. I will hurry." Luna said. "Good. Central Control out." The computer voice said and the game screen flickered and went out, leaving Luna in darkness.

* * *

The next day Makoto and Ami arrived at school at the same time and walked to class together. When they stepped into the room they were shocked to see Usagi sitting at her desk with her head resting on her arms on the table. Ami and Makoto glanced at each other, stunned that Usagi was actually early even though she appeared to be asleep.

They walked to their seats and a few minutes later Ms. H walked in the room and started class by taking attendance. When Ms. H got to Usagi's name and she answered, the shocked look on her face let the girls know that they weren't alone in their thoughts about Usagi's early arrival. Their shock, along with everyone else's in the room, continued when Ms. H asked them to hand in their homework and Usagi got up with paper in her hands. They couldn't believe that she had actually done her homework, and they wondered what other surprises she would reveal to them all.

After class had officially started everyone took out notebooks or sheets of paper and began to take notes on math problems Ms. H demonstrated on the board. "Who would like to come up?" they all heard Ms. H ask and as usual no one volunteered. "Tsukino. I would like you to come up here and try this problem." They heard her say and Ami and Makoto's eyes flashed to Usagi as she stood and walked to the front of the room.

Ami looked over at Usagi's notebook and saw as usual that she hadn't taken a single note, that today's drawings and doodles consisted of hearts and roses. _Why did she even go up?_ She thought as she looked back to the front of the class, and was completely shocked when she saw her doing the problem without any difficulties. _How is she doing this? She wasn't even paying attention to Ms. Haruna._ She thought as she looked over to Makoto, and saw that she had a shocked smile on her face.

Both Makoto and Ami kept an eye on Usagi after her work on the board, and were in turns shocked and surprised by her sudden display of intelligence. When lunch came they watched as she hurried from the room, and they exited after her but she was nowhere in sight. They then made their way to their regular spot under the large tree in the courtyard hoping that Usagi would show up, but she didn't and they guessed that was the reason she had hurried from the room. They couldn't blame her especially since what happened at the meeting.

"She must be really angry…or hurt…or both." Makoto said, shaking her head sadly and Ami nodded. They knew the situation was serious because even when Usagi was mad she always talked to them.

"Can you believe what she's done today?" Ami asked in a surprised voice as she began to eat her lunch. "Yeah. Isn't it great." Makoto said as she opened the container her lunch was in. "Yes it's great. It's just…she did her homework and what she did on the board. I was watching her. She wasn't even paying attention. About three pages of her notebook were full of drawings." Ami said in disbelief at what Usagi had done with the math problems she had done on the board.

"Hey I'm just as surprised as you are. Maybe she studied last night, although if I were her I wouldn't have been able to. Actually I **didn't** study last night. I got up early this morning just to do my homework." Makoto said, stifling a yawn. "Do you think all of this is because of what we said to her at the meeting?" Ami asked. "I think so." Makoto said quietly. "Rei needs to know about this." She added suddenly as she remembered all of their words at the meeting.

Ami nodded and they spent the rest of the lunch hour eating, wondering what Rei would say, and wondering what Usagi would do next. When lunch was over they went to gym and saw that nothing had improved in that area for Usagi. Then they went back to Ms. Haruna's class and she surprised them with a pop quiz in math. A few minutes later when Ami was finished and was looking over her last answer she saw movement to her left, and when she looked over she saw Usagi getting up with her quiz in hand. Ami followed her with her own quiz and when she was walking back to her seat she heard Ms. H ask Usagi to wait. She was shocked that Usagi had finished a math test, any test, before her, and if she judged the smile on Ms. Haruna's face correctly it meant that she had gotten her answers right.

After school Makoto and Ami began to walk toward Rei's school to meet up with her. "I can't believe that Usagi finished her quiz before you! And did you see the smile on Haruna's face. She clearly aced it. How cool is that?!" Makoto said excitedly. "It's amazing and great." Ami said, shaking her head slightly in disbelief. "It brings back her words from yesterday." She added. "Yeah. Usagi's been holding out. I wonder why." Makoto finished in a thoughtful tone. "Me too. I …I'm going to ask her tomorrow." Ami said as she looked to Makoto. "Do you think she'll talk to you after what happened?" Makoto asked solemnly. "I don't know, but we have to try right? She's our friend." Ami said. "Yeah you're right. Not that we've been good friends to her." Makoto said with a sigh as they neared Rei's school. "There she is." Makoto said as they got half a block away from Rei's school. She was standing across the street at the corner saying goodbye to some schoolmates.

"Hey you guys." Rei said as she waved an arm at them. "Hurry up. I wanna see Mamoru." She called to them. "We're going to the arcade right? Is he expecting you? You know he's going to be there?" Makoto asked. "No he's not expecting me…but you know he's always at the arcade. I mean Motoki is his best friend after all." Rei said as they headed toward the arcade. "And he's suppose to just put his visit on hold to talk to you?" Makoto said as she rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't you expect your boyfriend to do that?" Rei said in a matter of fact voice. "Boyfriend?!" Makoto and Ami said at the same time in shock. "We **have** been on dates." She said. "That doesn't mean you two are boyfriend and girlfriend." Makoto said in slight outrage. She was boy crazy but even she knew that a few dates didn't make a couple. "Well…we will be soon enough." Rei said just as they reached the arcade.

They walked in after the sliding doors opened and were stopped in their tracks at what they saw. They saw Usagi and Mamoru sitting at a booth together. They were leaning toward each other over the table and Mamoru had his right hand on Usagi's face making them look like a cute couple.

"Hey Ami, Makoto, Rei. Can I get you anything?" They heard Motoki ask and it snapped them out of their shocked state. "Ummm…not yet. Thanks Motoki." Ami said with a smile. She and Makoto weren't going to judge anything by the scene they had just walked in on. From what they knew of and had seen of Usagi and Mamoru's behavior over the months they knew that there had to be a reasonable explanation, but then again with what they had seen of Usagi today they couldn't be sure.

Rei on the other hand was angry after she got over her shock and surprise. _What are they doing together like that?! I'm dating Mamoru and Usagi shouldn't be trying to cuddle up with him!_ She thought angrily. Plus everyone knew that Usagi irritated Mamoru, which was why they were always yelling at each other. At least that's what Rei thought. "Mamoru." Rei called in a flirty voice laced with anger as if she meant to chastise him for speaking to another girl.

She saw as Mamoru looked her way as she headed toward him then back to Usagi and she watched as he dropped his hand from her face. She watched as Usagi got to her feet said something to Mamoru and then began to walk away toward her. Rei didn't even look at her. She only had eyes for Mamoru as she sat down where Usagi had been sitting and began to talk to him.

Makoto and Ami looked at Usagi as she walked gracefully pass them and then looked at each other sadly. They didn't like the distance that had developed between them, and they knew that they only had themselves to blame for it. They then took a seat at a table nearby Mamoru and Rei and began to talk since they weren't interested in what Rei was going to be saying to Mamoru.

"We need to talk to Luna about this. She needs to know about these changes in Usagi." Makoto said. "But doesn't Luna already know? She does live with Usagi." Ami said. "If Luna knew about all this she would have said something to us about it so that we could have avoided the situation we're in. And do you honestly think that Usagi would let Luna in the house to have witnessed her doing her homework? I think that she hasn't seen or talked to Luna since the meeting. I could be wrong though, which is all the more reason for us to talk to her and make sure." Makoto said in a slightly urgent voice. "Yes. You're right." Ami said with a light sigh. "Do you think Usagi will change her mind…about quitting?" she added. "I don't know. I never even thought she would do something like that. I really hope she does though. We haven't had any fights yet and it's already not the same without her." Makoto said as she pounded her right fist into her left hand in frustration.

Makoto and Ami weren't interested in what Rei was saying to Mamoru but that didn't stop them from hearing what they were saying.

"Why would she need to be checked on? She's not a baby, although she acts like it most of the time." They heard Rei say and they gave her a questioning look before looking back to each other.

"I think Rei's not going to like or want to hear what we have to say after what she just saw." Ami said quietly. "I think so too, but what does she expect from him? They're not boyfriend and girlfriend and he has the right to talk to any girl he wants. Yelling and teasing aside he's known Usagi longer then any of us." Makoto said. "Yeah." Ami said with a nod of her head. "And he's older then us. What could Rei possibly have in common with him and vice versa for that matter?" she added quietly and shook her head. "What I want to know is why Mamoru would be…"

Ami's sentence cut off when they heard Mamoru say that Usagi was hurt. Both she and Makoto looked at him hoping and waiting for him to continue, because they hadn't noticed that she was hurt and wanted to know what happened. They listened to his explanation of how they had run into each other and hit their heads on the ground, and how he had noticed that she had a badly bleeding gash on her forehead but had run off before he could tell if she was okay, saying that they needed her and that it was an emergency. He told them that today was the first time he had seen her since that night and that now he had to go find her since he still didn't know if she was really okay or not.

They were all shocked at Mamoru's explanation. It explained why she had been late to the fight that night, and the reason they hadn't seen the wound was probably because she hadn't wanted them to see it. However, they also knew that that didn't explain why they hadn't seen it the next day or that day.

"Do you think she's okay?" Ami asked Makoto and Rei, who had moved over to their table after Mamoru had left her sitting alone. "I don't know. You saw her…she seemed okay at school." Makoto said with a shake of her head. "She seemed okay just now and yesterday. I don't know what Mamoru is talking about. It's most likely nothing." Rei said dismissively.

"It has to be something to have Mamoru so worried." Makoto said. "Exactly." Ami agreed. "That just adds to what we saw her do today." she finished. "That's right. Usagi was actually early to school **and** she had her homework done." Makoto said to Rei. "So what are you saying? She hit her head and knocked some much needed sense into it?" Rei said with a laugh. "Give me a break." she added as she rolled her eyes. "That's not what she's saying." Ami said in frustration. "That's not all Usagi did. She actually got up in class and did math problems on the board, and she looked like she hadn't even been paying attention! I was sitting right next to her. Her notebook was covered in little drawings she had been doing." she finished with a huff.

"And that's not all." Makoto chimed in. "We had a pop quiz in math and Usagi finished first. Before Ami, and by the look on our teachers face she got her answers right." she finished with a smile. She was proud of Usagi, but she again wondered why she hadn't done any of this before. "She probably cheated on the pop quiz and whose to say she didn't memorize the answers to the problems on the board." Rei said, not really paying attention to what they were trying to tell her.

After that Makoto and Ami spent a long time trying to make Rei understand that they were wrong about some of the things they had accused Usagi of. They were frustrated and slightly irritated when it appeared that Rei didn't want to hear any of it, and they were interrupted from trying to persuade her when Ami's Mercury computer alerted them to a youma attack in the park. The girls hurried to the park and saw people running and screaming, so they hurriedly found a secluded section and when they were sure the coast was clear they pulled their transformation pens from their subspace pockets and began their transformations.

"Mars Power Makeup!" Rei shouted. "Jupiter Power Makeup!" Makoto shouted. "Mercury Power Makeup!" Ami shouted, and the area was lit up with bright reds, blues, and greens while the air was charged with lightening, fire, and bubbles. When the bright lights faded Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, and Sailor Jupiter stood looking at each other for a few moments then ran in the direction that people were running from.

When they reached the youma Sailor Mars got its attention by launching her fire attack at it and Sailor Jupiter followed it up with her lightening attack. For the next few minutes they attacked the youma and dodged its attacks, growing tired the entire time they tried to weaken it.

"Guys. It's not human, so don't hold back." Sailor Mercury called as she analyzed the youma with her Mercury computer. "Mercury we need its weakness." Sailor Jupiter yelled after dodging an attack. "I'm looking, I'm looking." Sailor Mercury said a little tiredly as she typed in her computer while keeping an eye out for incoming attacks. She quickly saw that Jupiter and Mars were getting tired and having trouble holding off and diverting the youmas attacks from her. The youma was too powerful for the three of them and she didn't have time to look for its weakness anymore. By the time she found it they would have already been defeated, so she snapped her computer shut, put it in her subspace pocket, and joined in the fight.

Even with Sailor Mercury's help the Senshi were having trouble with the youma. They were weakening it but they were becoming tired and weak themselves and their combined attacks, as they soon realized, were not enough to finish off the youma. Just as they were about to combine their attacks again they saw a number of roses piercing the youma and listened as it screamed in pain and anger. The girls breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Tuxedo Kamen walking toward them, and with his help they finally defeated the youma.

"Where is Sailor Moon?" They heard him ask bluntly, seemingly getting straight to the point, and they fell silent and uncomfortable.

_He has to know. She asked us to give him her message and now's the time._ Sailor Mercury thought with a slight nod to herself, and she took a breath as she looked to Tuxedo Kamen but Sailor Mars spoke before she could.

"She quit because she couldn't handle being a senshi anymore. She wasn't doing a good job anyway." Sailor Mars said in a tired yet irritated voice as she flipped her long black hair over her shoulder. Sailor Mercury leveled a glare at her then turned back to Tuxedo Kamen. "She resigned yesterday. We all had an argument, and…" she began but was cut off. "You can't tell him. We can't trust him." Sailor Mars hissed. "Get over it Mars." Sailor Mercury said as she turned to look at her. "I'm not telling him about the rainbow crystals. I'm telling him about Sailor Moon. Someone he's known longer then we have." she finished in a highly annoyed voice.

"He hasn't known her longer then…" Sailor Mars began with a frown, but this time she was cut off. "He's known her longer as a senshi. She was the first of us remember or have you forgotten?" Sailor Mercury said hotly and then turned back to Tuxedo Kamen, embarrassed that he was witnessing their little squabble but knowing that he needed to know about Sailor Moon. It was the least they could do after he had helped them. "We all hadn't been getting along well…at least we weren't getting along with her, and we all said some things that I won't repeat. She said that she was a terrible leader and an even worse senshi." Sailor Mercury said sadly.

"Are you sure that she was serious?" they heard Tuxedo Kamen ask in a half shocked half hopeful voice as if he thought that that would get him a positive answer. "She handed over everything that made her Sailor Moon, so we know that she was serious. She said that she didn't want to be responsible for any of us or innocent people getting killed." Sailor Jupiter said as she walked over and stood next to Sailor Mercury.

They listened as Tuxedo Kamen asked if Sailor Moon's parting from the group had anything to do with the events of the fight near the temple. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury were so surprised by the fact that he had been there that they barely had time to form a thought before Sailor Mars voiced her thoughts about how he knew about that since he hadn't been there. Tuxedo Kamen answered that he had arrived just after Sailor Moon and had witnessed what happened after her arrival all the way until the end of the battle. They listened as he told them angrily of his disbelief at their behavior toward Sailor Moon and of how even he saw that had she not acted both she and Sailor Mars would be dead. He also spoke of how proud he was of Sailor Moon for her quick action and insight.

Sailor Jupiter stood with her right hand on her hip listening to Tuxedo Kamen's words. What he was saying now and how he was acting matched what Sailor Moon said about him not being their enemy, but what was eating at her was how he looked whenever he had to step in and save Sailor Moon. It just didn't add up and she had to know, especially now with what was going on with their group.

"Can I ask why you always look so irritated and annoyed when you have to save Sailor Moon?" Sailor Jupiter asked him. "Yeah. You don't seem to like saving her any more then I do." Sailor Mars said and they all looked at her in shock.

How could she say such a thing?! They all knew that she was having issues with Sailor Moon, but to say that you don't like saving her is like saying you don't care about her life. They just couldn't believe their ears. Sailor Jupiter was shocked, Sailor Mercury was angry, and they didn't know what Tuxedo Kamen thought but it couldn't be good.

"I'm irritated with the enemy for always attacking her and using her weaknesses against her." Tuxedo Kamen answered Jupiter. "I like saving her just fine, and even if I didn't like it I don't have a choice." he said to Sailor Mars and then began to walk away.

Sailor Mercury was still angry with Sailor Mars but she pushed it aside for the moment. She couldn't let him leave yet. Her curiosity was peaked by his statement, and she still had something to say to him. "What do you mean you don't have a choice?" she asked him and watched as he stopped walking and turned to look back at them.

"It's been an instinct inside me for as long as I can remember. Plus, I couldn't stand to see anything happen to her." Tuxedo Kamen said and began to walk away. Sailor Mercury scrambled to put the words she needed to say together before he left. "Sailor Moon wanted us to tell you something the next time we saw you." she said and watched him pause. She then glanced at Jupiter and saw her nod reassuringly for her to continue, and when she looked back to him he was looking at her. "She said that she'll miss you and that she wished she could have seen you one last time." she finished softly and watched him stand there for a long moment and then walk away without a word.

She couldn't believe the emotions she saw flash through his eyes. It happened so quickly that she wasn't sure she could name them all, and when she looked at Sailor Jupiter she saw the lightening senshi had witnessed it as well. They both then turned to look at Sailor Mars and saw her leaning against a tree with her arms crossed looking as if she was impatient to leave. That display brought Sailor Mercury's anger back and then some.

"I can not believe you, and I can't believe what you said to him!" she shouted at Sailor Mars. She was shocked at herself. She didn't usually get loud when she was angry, quite the opposite actually. She usually got more quiet, but right now she didn't care. "How could you say something like that? It's like…like you've stopped caring, and how could you not care that she was hurt?" she continued but she lowered her voice so that only the three of them could hear. "Even Mamoru cared. **Mamoru** who's been teasing and arguing with her probably since the day they met. You **know** that if it had been the other way around, or even any other time, she would have been concerned." she finished angrily- yet in a sad voice, and then her eyes widened as she realized something.

"My god…she hit her head again that night when she was saving you from that youma. She could have had a concussion and she hit her head again…Oh!…She could have gone to sleep that night and not have woken up." she finished in a quiet tone with tears running down her face. With her mother being a doctor she knew perfectly well the dangers of repeatedly hitting your head against the ground, and she thought that the only reason Usagi was okay at that very moment was because she was Sailor Moon.

Sailor Mars stood there, shocked at the passion and tone of Sailor Mercury's speech. It was the first time she had heard Mercury raise her voice since she had known her and it left her speechless. All she had done was say what she was thinking, and it was true. She didn't like saving her all the time but still…that didn't stop her from doing it, and she still wasn't convinced that Usagi was really injured. And all that nonsense about her being early to school and doing her homework and finishing a test before Ami was just ludicrous! They were probably just being sympathetic to her because they had to sit in class with her all day.

"Come on." Sailor Jupiter said as she put an arm around Sailor Mercury. "Lets get out of here." she said tiredly to them and they all began to run.

After a few minutes they separated and each headed home to get some serious rest. That battle had been beyond exhausting and they now realized just how much easier it had been with Sailor Moon, and it had only been their first without her.

**.:xXx:.**

Meanwhile, Luna had spent the day keeping out of sight as she watched the girls. She had started at Rei's school but she didn't have much luck since the officials and nuns there seemed to notice when animals roamed the campus. _I'll just catch up to her after school._ she thought as she began to make her way to Crossroads Junior High school.

When Luna reached the campus she slipped through the bars on the gate and made her way to the building where she knew all three girls shared a class. Once outside the building she walked around to the side where their classroom windows were visible and climbed a tree that was close by. Class was in session since school had already started. She saw that all three girls were there and that Usagi was doing something at the board.

_I can't see what it is. It must be some sort of class work, but Usagi actually doing class work is almost laughable._ she thought as she settled herself to watch the girls. When lunch came she quickly made her way to the tree that the girls usually gathered around for lunch, climbed the tree, and waited. Makoto and Ami came but there was no sign of Usagi, and a frown appeared on her fury face. Her frown got bigger as she listened to the girls voice their sadness at Usagi not being with them and their shock and surprise at what she had done in class that morning.

Luna was just as shocked as they were at what she was hearing. She had lived with Usagi a few months now and had never seen her do what Ami and Makoto said that she had done. Whenever she told Usagi to do her homework she would read comic books instead or complain about not knowing how to do it, and to her knowledge Usagi was always running late in the mornings from over sleeping.

When lunch ended Luna made her way over to the gym building and watched, through a fence, as the students gathered in the yard and began to play different sports. She saw that Usagi was the same as always when it came to sports. She sighed as she slowly shook her head, and then left the campus to see if she would have better luck checking on Rei this time.

She didn't have much luck. She spent the hours before school ended walking the perimeter of the campus trying to see if she could catch a glimpse of Rei through any of the windows that she could see through. Once she heard the bell that signaled the end of the school day she perched on a wall fence across the street from the campus entrance and waited for Rei to emerge. When she finally saw her she leaped to the ground and followed her to the end of the block where she stood talking to some school friends for a few minutes.

Luna then watched as Rei said her goodbyes to the girls she had been standing with, and then wave a hand and call out to a couple of people that were approaching across the street from them both. As they came closer she saw that it was Makoto and Ami minus Usagi of course. She then followed them and saw that they were headed to the arcade. She knew that she couldn't go in without being directly with them so she settled with watching them through the window.

She stood on her back legs to look through the window and see where the girls would sit, and to her complete shock she saw Usagi and Mamoru…together. Not fighting or teasing at all. In fact they looked calm and focused as they talked. Not to mention they looked like a couple who only had eyes for each other seeing as how they were leaning toward each other and Mamoru had his hand on her face.

She watched as they became aware of the girls and sighed sadly as Usagi got to her feet and walked out of the arcade without a word to any of them. _Hmmm…I need to observe them together but I also need to find out what I can about Usagi._ she thought as she looked from the window to Usagi's retreating figure and back. _I can't get into the arcade and I can't hear them, so I might as well go after Usagi. I don't know if she's going home or not but the littlest detail might help me have a better chance at getting her to talk to me._ she thought as she pushed away from the window and ran after her.

Luna soon found herself trailing Usagi to the park. She had to walk behind trees to keep out of sight as Usagi sat down in the grass against a tree. She crouched behind a nearby tree and watched her. _She seems tired and a little sad._ she thought as she stretched out of her crouch and laid down. _Is that…a bandage on her forehead? Did she get hurt sometime this morning or maybe last night?_ she wondered as she continued to watch Usagi.

A little less then a half an hour later she saw Mamoru approaching. _Did they plan to meet here? I don't see how since she left the arcade pretty quickly._ she thought as she watched Mamoru remove the bandage and look over the wound. She wondered how bad the wound was, if it was healing okay, and if she had been to the hospital for it. _It must be bad if Mamoru is taking the time to check it out. I mean for him to even notice it is something._ she thought as she watched them sit quietly together. At least she assumed they were sitting quietly together since she didn't see their mouths moving.

_I wish I could hear what they were saying._ she thought in frustration. That had been her problem the whole day. With Makoto and Ami she had been able to see them, but only able to hear them at one point. With Rei she hadn't been able to see or hear her until an hour ago, and with Usagi she had only had glimpses of her until that moment. And now they were talking again and still she couldn't hear a word they were saying. She couldn't risk moving closer because they would see her and she didn't want that so she sighed and settled for watching.

She thought it was curious the way they were sitting there so relaxed and talking. For as long as she had known Usagi she and Mamoru had always teased and yelled when they were within each others sight, so to see them like this and how they were at the arcade was surprising and again curious. But then they were teasing and yelling again and Luna had to hurry to catch up with Usagi as she stormed away without being seen by Mamoru.

Luna jogged after Usagi, who was practically running, until they reached her house. She then climbed the tree outside of Usagi's bedroom and spent the rest of the night watching her through her balcony window when she was in her room.

* * *

The following morning Ami and Makoto made it to class before Usagi, so they were able to watch as she walked into the classroom. She wasn't late but she wasn't early like she had been the day before either. As they watched her they finally saw the bandage that was partially covered by her bangs, but they also noticed that she looked tired. More tired then she usually was in the morning and they exchanged a worried look as they watched her take her seat.

"As soon as I get the chance I'm going to talk to her. Even if I have to follow her at lunch." Ami said to Makoto as she looked at Usagi. "I'll come with you." Makoto said. "No. She might not say anything if we talk to her together. I'm sure she'll be thinking of the meeting if that happens." Ami said. "I'm sure she'll be thinking of it anyway…but okay." Makoto said just as Ms. H walked in and called the class to order.

They then made their way to their seats and listened as Ms. H did the attendance and told them to hand in their homework. The entire class was aware that Usagi had her homework once again, but only Makoto and Ami saw how tired she looked. A while after class started Ms. H gave them a break and Ami took the chance to try and talk to Usagi.

"Ummm…can we talk Usagi-chan?" Ami asked in a quiet voice after getting her attention. She hadn't felt so shy since before she had met Usagi. "Sure." Usagi answered as she blinked her eyes. Ami couldn't tell if she was angry, sad, or what, so she jumped right in with the first thing that came to mind. "Well I noticed how you've been coming to school early and handing in your homework, and then the pop quiz was just amazing. You finished before me and from the look on Ms. H's face I'd say you passed it too." she said excitedly. She had gotten over her shock and was now proud of Usagi. "I'm not trying to be mean or anything; I'm actually really happy, but how did you do it? You never studied. You didn't even like to hear the word." she finished.

"Just because I didn't study doesn't mean I didn't know anything." she heard Usagi say after a long moment. "I did it the same way everyone else did. I paid attention in class and retained the information." she finished and Ami blinked in surprise. _What?! But she never looks like she's paying attention._ she thought as she looked at Usagi with surprise still on her face. "Just because I didn't look like I was paying attention in class doesn't mean I wasn't." she heard her add with a sigh.

_Wow. So she's always been paying attention. Even when she appears to be asleep, and she didn't even need to take notes._ "Then how come only now? Why haven't you been doing this all along?" she asked. _Oh! The meeting._ she thought sadly. "You're doing this because of what we said."

"That is correct. I decided to show you, you who I called my best friends, that I was not the dumb blond you all assumed me to be. You know…it hurt a lot to know that my friends cared more about my grades then did about me. You all only cared enough to criticize, but never to ask why. That is until now." she heard Usagi say and watched as she sat up and began to rub the sides of her head. _Maybe she's developed a headache too._ "And the answer is, because I didn't feel like doing it until now. I have other reasons of course, but you wouldn't understand." she finished quietly.

_I wouldn't understand…what does she mean by that? I guess it's not so unexpected. I did think she might have had reasons for the way she behaved. I wonder what they are. But she's kind of right. We did only care enough to criticize. It had never occurred to me to ask why. I just thought she was being lazy and didn't want to do her work because it was too hard for her._ she thought sadly as she looked down at her lap. _I would have been hurt too. I __**have**__ been hurt. I remember how it was…what it was like for me before I met Usagi. How everyone called me a brainy loner because I never talked to anyone. I was shy but I had other reasons for why I didn't speak to people, and I never thought to explain myself to anyone. Not even the girls._ she thought with a quiet cry.

"I'm so sorry Usagi." Ami said with tears in her eyes. "Why are you sorry Ami-chan?" she heard Usagi ask quietly and she looked at her in a moment of confusion. "I'm sorry for saying that you always sleep in class, and don't do your homework, and don't study, and I'm sorry for what I said and how I behaved the night you got that injury on your head." Ami answered.

"Mamoru told us what happened yesterday after you left the arcade." she said after she saw the frown on Usagi's face. "Is that all you're sorry for Ami? You're sorry because now you know that I pay attention in class and can do my homework." she heard Usagi say and watched as she closed her eyes and shook her head. "No I'm sorry for everything." Ami said quickly. "No you're not." she heard Usagi say with a frown and she gasped in shock. "You can't be sorry for everything if you don't know what you did. Sorry Ami but a general apology won't work this time. I won't accept it until you understand why you're saying it and mean it." Usagi said and paused for a moment. "Go back and think about how you've been behaving toward me and things that you have said. Think about this moment and what you have learned. Then when you really understand why you're sorry come talk to me again." she finished and moments later Ami heard Ms. H announce that the break was over.

Ami turned slowly in her seat to face the front of the room. The conversation was sad and enlightening and she had trouble concentrating through the rest of class. When the bell rang, announcing lunch time, she was happy because she wanted to tell Makoto everything Usagi had said. She grabbed her lunch and met Makoto at the door. They both noticed how Usagi had put her head down after the bell rang. They then headed out to their regular spot at the tree and after Makoto had calmed her down enough Ami tearfully related the entire conversation between Usagi and herself.

"She had every right to say what she said. I remember what it was like before I met her, and then afterwards she never asked me for explanations or anything." Ami said as tears streamed down her face.

Makoto took out the handkerchief she had in her skirt pocket and handed it to Ami as she sat there quietly thinking over all of what she had just said. She too remembered what it was like before she met Usagi and it wasn't fun at all. She was mostly sad even though she rarely showed it. Then after she met Usagi she wasn't sad anymore. She became happy and was having real fun… even with all the Senshi business, and through it all Usagi never showed signs of being afraid of her, or not wanting to be her friend because she thought it would be a waste of her time, and she never asked if the rumors about her always fighting were true or not.

"It's okay Ami. She's right and you are too. We **do** need to take some time and think about what's happened…how we got to this point, and I'm sure Usagi needs more time too." Makoto said.

Just as Ami opened her mouth to speak they heard their communicators beeping in their subspace pockets. Ami frowned. She hadn't been alerted to any attacks by her Mercury computer, so she wasn't understanding what this call was for. Especially since they were at school.

"I'll answer it, so you don't have to explain why your face is all red and watery." Makoto said as she looked around and then pulled her communicator from her subspace pocket. The symbol for Mars was flashing so they knew immediately that it wasn't Luna calling.

"Hey can you and Ami come to my temple after school instead of meeting at the arcade?" Rei asked and Makoto and Ami exchanged a curious look. "Sure but why?" Makoto asked in return. "You'll see." was all Rei said before her face disappeared from the tiny screen and left them to listen to the static.

"Hmm…I have a funny feeling about this." Ami said as she sniffed and wiped the rest of her tears away. "Yeah me too but there's nothing we can do about it, and who knows- it could be important since she doesn't seem to want to talk about it with other people around." Makoto said as she put her communicator back in her subspace pocket. "I didn't even eat my lunch." Ami said with a sigh. "Me either and its too late now." Makoto said as she looked at her watch.

As soon as her eyes focused on the time the bell rang and she sighed. "We can eat at Rei's place. Come on we don't want to be late." she said and they gathered their lunch and went to change for gym class. After they were dressed and were waiting around for class to start they noticed that Usagi wasn't there. They wondered where she was and thought maybe she was in some sort of conference with Ms. H. Once gym was over and they were back in Ms. H's classroom Usagi was no where in sight and they began to wonder and worry a little that she might have left school or was maybe going to spend the rest of the day in the bathroom rather then class. They were more inclined to think that she left school for whatever reason rather then believe that she was hiding out in the bathroom.

Once school ended they headed over to Rei's temple and gathered in her bedroom. Turns out that she wanted to have a meeting. They were curious as to what they were going to be discussing and when they looked at Luna they saw that she was just as curious.

"I wanted us to meet here because I didn't want anyone overhearing us." Rei said as she looked to each of them. "I think it's time we picked a new leader." she finished.

The room went deathly quiet as her voice faded. They were slightly shocked to say the least. It had only been three days since Usagi had quit, and everyone in the room knew that Rei meant for herself to be the new leader. They knew it but that didn't mean they were going to say it and give her what she wanted.

"Luna how did you decide that Usagi was to be the leader?" Ami asked the cat guardian to buy some time for everyone to get over their shock, surprise, or whatever they wanted to feel at her words. "I told Usagi that she needed the responsibility, but that was only what I thought she needed. The role of leader was always meant to go to the senshi of the Moon. I just knew. It had been ingrained in me to know just as I had always known what to say to each senshi when found. The same way I knew that Usagi was Sailor Moon without the mark of the Moon appearing on her forehead like with all of you." Luna explained.

"That probably means that she wasn't suppose to be Sailor Moon." Rei said and she tried to ignore the intense irritated looks Makoto and Ami aimed at her. "That isn't possible." Luna said calmly, hiding her own irritation. "If Usagi wasn't Sailor Moon she wouldn't have been able to transform, let alone use the Luna pen or the Crescent Moon wand. That goes for the three of you as well." she finished.

"We should just try and replace her." Rei said as she shifted her position slightly. "She wasn't a good senshi anyway." she added, it seemingly being her mantra. "We can't do that!" Ami shouted uncharacteristically. "Weren't you listening to Luna at all?! We **are** the senshi of our respected planets. There's no one else. The moment we accepted our transformation sticks and began to tap into our powers our DNA started to change." Ami said in an agitated rush, not caring that everyone seemed a little shocked by what she had just said.

"I for one can't believe that you want to replace Usagi. She's our friend Rei. It's one thing to call her a bad senshi, to be annoyed by some of her habits, but to want to replace her is like…" Makoto stopped herself from finishing her sentence. She just couldn't. She had too many thoughts going through her mind to make since of them.

"Can…can we talk about this later?" Ami asked as she got to her feet. "I promised my mom that I would meet her for a late lunch." she finished and began to step toward the door. "Okay. We…umm…can talk about this another time." Rei said as Ami walked out of the room.

As Ami left the temple and headed toward the many steep stairs leading to the sidewalk, she heard Luna calling her and she stopped and turned to look at her and Makoto. "I can't believe you just told a flat out lie." Makoto said as they reached Ami. "Come on. Lets go to my place. It's closest." she finished and they headed down the stairs together and began to walk to Makoto's place.

Once they were there and settled they began to fill Luna in on the changes they had witnessed in Usagi the past two days, what happened to her the night of the fight near the temple, and what really happened at the fight. They added in the things they had learned from Tuxedo Kamen, and the conversation that Ami had with Usagi at school.

Luna was stunned at everything she had just learned and she needed some time to sift through it, but first she asked them a series of questions to try and tie it all together and find out what the main event was that set all of this in motion. Once she was done Ami set out for home while Luna decided to crash at Makoto's place. After everything that had been said and done they needed to think and let it all sink in.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi woke slightly and cracked her eyes open as she stretched her legs and arms slightly. As she ignored the ach in her body she saw that it was light out but that the sun wasn't up so she knew that it was early morning. As she was pulling her hand back under the cover she felt her hand brush against something that wasn't soft and warm and therefore, not apart of her bedding. She turned her head to her right and saw a rolled up piece of paper and a flower. A red flower. A rose.

She picked it up and starred at it for a long moment before her mind woke up enough to register the fact that she had a rolled up paper with a rose attached to it that had been placed on her pillow. _Tuxedo Kamen. It has to be from him._ she thought as she quickly blinked the sleep from her eyes and pulled the red string loose. The rose fell on her chest and she picked it up and breathed deeply. It smelt heavenly. Just like him and it brought up so many different memories. She then gently placed the rose on her pillow where she had found the paper, and then unrolled the scroll like paper.

_**Dear Sailor Moon,**_ she read and then paused. _He knows I'm Sailor Moon or was Sailor Moon. How did he find out? How does he know where I live? How did he get in here to leave this letter?_ she thought as she looked up at her ceiling. She then took a couple of light calming breaths and continued to read.

_**I'm writing this not knowing if this will ever reach your eyes, so I guess I'm writing this for both you and me. You're probably wondering why I would write this for myself are you not? Well I'm writing this for myself because I think it might help me deal with everything I'm feeling since learning that you resigned your position as a senshi. That's the other reason as well. The reason I'm writing this for you.**_

_**I feel like…no. I know that there are things I need to tell you and that you need to know. I guess I'll start by saying that I learned about your resignation two days after it happened. It was after a fight with a youma. I knew something was up because you hadn't shown up to the fight. You may have been late sometimes, but you always came. When I asked where you were all the Senshi got quiet, and then Sailor Mars said that you quit because you couldn't handle it. Then Sailor Mercury stepped in and gave me the real reason. Telling me a little about how you all haven't been getting along. I don't normally like to make assumptions, but I assumed that that was what led up to your resignation and that what happened at the battle near the temple is what might have set you off.**_

_**Yes I was there at the battle. I got there moments after you and saw everything that happened. I saw you save Sailor Mars, and just so you know…I almost had a heart attack when you were almost hit, which should tell you how worried I was. You must know that if I couldn't step in to save you then there was not enough time to do so. I told the Senshi as much when we spoke. I was extremely angry with them for reacting the way they did, and I made sure they knew it. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter felt bad; they were already feeling bad but I believe I even made Sailor Mars feel guilty and ashamed about the way she acted.**_

_**I want you to know that you are a great senshi. I have always thought you were. You should not think that your presence would get someone killed, because it is not true. You may not be the best fighter but you are a good fighter. I don't know…maybe the fact that I'm not close to you like the Senshi are helps me see better, and because of that I can tell you that you **__**have**__** become a better fighter.**_

_**You haven't forgotten have you? That I was there at your first fight. You've gotten much better since then. I can tell how hard you try…how you push yourself to be better, but I can also see that you're not a natural fighter like the other Senshi. I don't want you to forget that you were the first senshi. That you fought many youma's before you found the other senshi, and that you defeated them all. Don't even think that you were able to defeat them because of my help! My help was always limited because I wanted you to be the one to defeat them. Know that I was only there to make sure you came to no harm.**_

_**I have only been in one fight since you decided to resign, and I already miss saving you. I miss more then that though. I miss **__**you**__**. I miss seeing you. I miss seeing you in action. I miss how you felt in my arms. You know…after Sailor Mercury told me what she did, I realized just how much I like you. Yes, for the record, I do like you. Very much in fact. I remember when I got home I completely broke down and cried.**_

_**It hurt so much to know that I wouldn't see you again. That I might never get the chance to tell you how I felt about you, especially after Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter gave me your message. I was shocked and happy at the same time. I had hoped that you might be developing feelings for me, and to have it confirmed like that was…was, well I don't know what it was but it made me happy.**_

_**Anyway I think that's all I'll say here. I'll leave the rest for another time. I hope to talk to you face to face some day, and we would need something to speak of would we not? Until then I hope this letter is enough.**_

_**Always,**_

_**Tuxedo Kamen**_

Usagi lay there, with tears streaking down the sides of her face, into her hair, and onto her pillow, as she finished his letter. His words had gone straight to her heart. He had understood what happened near the temple, and he didn't think she was a bad senshi. He actually saw that she wasn't a natural fighter, and what he said about her being the first senshi. He was right. She **had** fought alone for a long time before Sailor Mercury had come along, and even then- her tiara was the weapon that dusted the youma.

Then the last part of his letter came to her. He was sad that he wouldn't see her again. He actually cried. Tuxedo Kamen cried! She couldn't even picture him doing that, and oh! He liked her. He likes her. A lot! She had been sad and worried that she had developed feelings for a guy who didn't see her in that light- who only thought of her in a sort of working relationship. But now…he had got her message and he was happy that she liked him too- had actually been hoping that she liked him. His whole letter meant so much to her. Made her feel a little better about herself. And she was happy, more then happy, that Ami and Makoto had given him her message. That would go a long way toward fixing their friendship…if they fixed it.

Suddenly Mamoru's image came to her mind and the happy smile she had been wearing since finishing the letter began to fade. She was sure now that she liked Mamoru, but she couldn't be sure he felt anything for her. She knew that her feelings had come quick and she was shocked by it, so she wouldn't be too sad to know that he might not feel anything for her- at least she hoped she wouldn't.

_Tuxedo Kamen and Mamoru. Two guys I like. One the feelings are strong, and the other the feelings are just beginning…I think. Tuxedo Kamen might know who I am but that doesn't mean he's going to reveal himself to me and be with me, and Mamoru…_ she thought with a sigh. _Mamoru is a baka and just being nice to a sick girl, so I should stop my feelings where they are._ she thought as she rolled on her side.

She opened the draw in her nightstand that she usually kept her locket in and put the letter and red string in it. She then took hold of the rose and pulled her covers up to her neck so that only her face and the petals of the rose were visible as she looked through her balcony doors.

_They're both out of my reach._ she thought sadly, and that small thought broke the flood gates to her tears. She cried hard for a long time, giving herself a headache, before she fell asleep.

Hours later…

Usagi woke to find herself in the same position she had been in when she fell asleep. She could smell the rose she still held in her hand, which helped ease the killer headache she had. She opened her eyes and closed them immediately because the sun was shinning brightly, and was blinding her like she hoped it wouldn't do, so she pulled her cover over her head- careful of her rose- and tried not to think about anything.

_I hope mom doesn't come check on me. I'm in no mood to fend off the questions and the food offers. Maybe she'll think I'm still asleep if she does._ she thought as she breathed in the soothing scent of the rose, and a while later her mother did come and check on her- calling her name softly and pulling the cover back slightly to see if that would get her response.

Usagi pretended to be asleep carefully making sure that her rose was not visible and listened as her mother left the room. A few minutes after she heard her door close she began to have a few dry coughing stints. They started off small but got long and hard to the point where her throat hurt so bad that she started to cry from the pain. Then she had a few coughs that didn't want to stop until her stomach muscles were aching.

She slid further down under her covers until her head was no longer on her pillow, and she curled up in a ball- leaving her rose resting safely on her pillow while she tried to get comfortable. A little while after that she heard her door open and close as she was wracked by another never ending cough. _That's probably mom. What are the chances that she won't notice my rose?_ she thought as her cough continued, so she just stayed balled up under her covers and moaned sadly when her cough finally ended.

"Are you okay?" she heard a low but soft voice say, and she couldn't help but notice how very concerned it sounded.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru woke up with a groan to the sound of his alarm clock going off. He rolled onto his side and quickly turned it off and then rolled back onto his back. The first thoughts to cross his mind was Usagi's health, the fact that she was Sailor Moon, and how he had got his letter to her.

_I wonder if she's even read it yet or if she's even woke up and discovered that it's there. I hope she's doing better today._ he thought quietly as he rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take a shower.

After his shower he dressed, made his bed, ate breakfast, and grabbed his books and left for school. On his way out of the building he decided that he would walk instead of driving so that he could waste more time in the day and give Usagi time to read through and think about his letter. Once at school he went to all his classes throughout the morning, and when his last class let out he went straight to the campus library and did some serious studying. He forced himself to concentrate since he knew that he wouldn't be able to after his visit with Usagi.

When Mamoru finished studying he decided to head to the arcade to see Motoki before going to Usagi's house. He pushed his seat back -away from the table he was using, stretched, gathered his books and left. When he arrived at the arcade he looked around and he saw that Rei, Ami, and Makoto weren't there, and he was happy about that because he didn't feel like dealing with Rei. He was only there to visit with Motoki and that was it. Motoki was busy with customers so Mamoru walked over and sat in his usual spot at the counter, placed his books on the counter next to him, propped his head on his left hand and waited for Motoki to come to him.

_I wonder how she's doing. Is she better? Is she worse? I hope she's at least a little better. That cold medicine should be helping for more then just to get her to sleep. Hmmm…now that I think about it I hope it's working for that too._ he thought with a sigh as he waited for Motoki to notice him sitting there. _I wonder if she's eaten yet…or if she's eaten anything since she drank that orange juice. If she hasn't I'll have to do something about that._ he thought as he heard someone sitting next to him on his left side. He didn't even glance over as he continued his thoughts of Usagi- knowing that if it were Motoki he would have said something before he had even reached him.

_Hmmm…her voice is probably still gone, but I hope it's not because I want to hear her voice. We have a lot to talk about and it would be nice if she could talk back._ he thought with a light sigh. _But I won't be sad if her voice is still gone. I mean she is sick after all. I can't expect her to get well in a day…but I __**can**__ wonder if the sun still hurts her eyes, and if that's the case has she gotten her curtains closed and put that dark blanket up?_ he wondered as he rubbed his fingers against his face. _I wonder if her strength has returned enough for her to even do that…but if that's the case then how did…_ his thought was interrupted as he felt a hand on his shoulder and a feminine voice calling his name.

Mamoru had to force himself not to groan as he realized who it was. "Hello Rei." he said as he dropped his hand to the counter and looked over at her. She was giving him a nice smile, but he could clearly see the irritation behind it. _Probably irritated because she had to get my attention instead of me immediately noticing her._ he thought as he continued to look at her. Now that he knew Usagi was Sailor Moon her glamour no longer worked. He put two and two together and could easily see that she was Sailor Mars.

"Hey Mamoru. How's your day so far?" he heard her ask as he turned slightly to look around to see if she came with her friends. He saw them sitting in a booth looking as though they were taking advantage of Rei's absence and having a serious looking discussion. Of course he saw that their glamour's didn't work either and could now easily see that Makoto was Sailor Jupiter and Ami was Sailor Mercury.

"Same as any other day." he said as he turned back around in his seat hoping that the two girls were discussing Usagi and how they were going to make up with her. "Oh, well that's good. My day was okay." he heard her say and he barely listened as she began to relate what she thought was a funny story about a girl in her school.

Mamoru didn't find her story funny and he certainly didn't appreciate her interrupting his thoughts, but he wasn't going to tell her that. So he listened as well as his nerves would allow, hoping to keep her distracted long enough for Makoto and Ami to finish their conversation.

"But anyway…so do you have anything planned for later today?" he heard her ask, and his mind immediately became alert. He didn't want to say anything that would make her think that he was interested in doing something with her that day or any other day. He had never been interested in doing or going anywhere with her and the words 'boyfriend' and 'date' weren't even in his vocabulary when it came to her. And now that he knew he was in love with Usagi he really didn't want to give her the impression that he was interested in her that way.

"Yes I do actually. I only came here to see Motoki since I hadn't talked to him in a while." he said and watched as Motoki walked behind the counter and mercifully toward them.

"Hey Rei, hey Mamoru. How come you didn't let me know you were here?" Motoki asked as he stopped in front of him. "You were busy and I had the time to wait for you." he said with a smile. "Look at you." Motoki said after a few moments of looking at Mamoru. "There's something different about you." he finished.

"What do you mean?" Mamoru asked with a confused frown on his face. "I don't know. You just look animated…happy. Yeah happy. It's been a long time since I've seen you look truly happy." Motoki said with a large smile. He couldn't help **but** smile at the genuine happiness on his best friends face.

"Happy?" he said with a laugh. "It's not like I was sitting here grinning at everything." he finished. "It doesn't matter. I've known you long enough to know when you're mad, sad, irritated, happy or whatever emotion you can think of. And right now I can tell that you're really happy." Motoki said with his smile still in place.

He glanced at Rei and had to hide the frown that flashed across his face. He got the feeling that she thought Mamoru was happy because of her by the huge smile she was wearing. He liked Rei but she had to be delusional to think that Mamoru had any real feelings toward her. He knew that it was his fault she might have that idea, so he set himself to fix it.

"So what happened? Did you ace an important exam?" he asked with a meaningful glance at Rei when she wasn't looking at him.

Mamoru caught on real quick since he too had noticed the smile Rei was wearing. _I hadn't realized I looked happy. It's probably because I had been thinking about Usagi. You usually look happy when you're thinking about the one you're in love with._ he thought with a smile, but then he sobered up real quick. He didn't want Rei to continue thinking he was happy because of her presence, so he replied quickly.

"You're half right. It was actually two exams. Without those I wouldn't have a chance at the classes I need for next semester." he said, completely lying through his teeth.

He was glad that she was still in junior high because it meant she most likely knew nothing about the workings of college. He admitted that he was still new at it, but he knew enough to be able to lie and know it was really a lie and not the truth.

Both he and Motoki watched, surreptitiously, as her smile faded and they both breathed a mental sigh of relief. Motoki played his part after they saw Rei's reaction, saying how glad he was. Then Mamoru said he had to go and that he would tell him more the next time they talked.

"I think your friends are missing you." he said to Rei as he got to his feet. "You really shouldn't neglect them." he said and then added his goodbyes to her and Motoki, and left- heading toward Usagi's house.

20 minutes later…

Mamoru reached Usagi's house, knocked on the door, and waited. He was happy that he was going to see her, but he was nervous as well and didn't even notice that he was at her house until he heard and felt himself knocking on the front door. Suddenly the door was opening and Mrs. Tsukino was standing there with a smile on her face.

"Please come in." Mrs. Tsukino said as she stepped back to give him room. "Usagi is still asleep or at least she was the last time I checked." she said as she closed the door. "You can go up and see if she's awake though." she added, so he slipped off his shoes and did exactly that.

Once outside Usagi's room Mamoru brought his hand up to knock but stopped. If she was asleep he didn't want to wake her, so he laid his hand against the door and sighed deeply- hoping to calm his nerves. _Usagi might like Tuxedo Kamen but she doesn't feel the same about me._ he thought as he moved his hand to the doorknob. He turned it and pushed the door open. The room was bright from the sunlight shinning through her balcony doors, and he could hear her coughing under her covers.

He closed the door, knowing that what he was going to be saying was something that her mother didn't need to hear, and walked over to her bed. He smiled when he saw the rose on her pillow and wondered how long it had been since she had read his letter. As Usagi's coughing continued his smile faded and was replaced by a concerned frown.

Mamoru knelt down on the floor at the side of her bed and placed his books next to her nightstand as he listened to her cough end with a sad moan. _Maybe she's getting worse._ he thought as he took a breath to speak.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a low concerned voice.

* * *

_Mamoru._ she thought with a quiet sad sigh. _I'm sick and I've been crying. I'm sure I look hideous, and I really don't want him to see me this way. Plus, it's still bright in my room._ she thought in a quiet voice.

Usagi wanted to tell him that she wasn't okay but that she would be fine and to go away, because she didn't want to be seen and didn't want to think about what his voice and seeing him would do to her. But of course she couldn't say any of that since her voice hadn't returned and even if she could she wouldn't tell him all that. She refrained from moaning again since the vibrating sound was hurting her throat, and instead wiggled so he knew that she had heard him.

Mamoru sighed as he stood up and made his way to her balcony. He didn't know why she wouldn't come out but he was hoping that the only thing stopping her was the bright light. He closed the curtains and put the dark blanket up to block out all the light, and then went back and knelt on the floor next to his books. He turned her lamp on and looked to the medium sized mound in the middle of the bed.

"I blocked the light if that's what's keeping you from coming out." he said hopefully.

_That was nice of him. I still don't want him to see me this way._ she thought and immediately countered it. _You're just afraid your feelings for him will show and he won't return them. You're a strong girl and you can handle it. It's not like you have to say anything._ she thought and then sighed knowing that her counter argument was right. She stretched and then pushed her covers down to her stomach as she turned on her back and sat up. She picked up her rose and leaned back on her pillow as she looked at Mamoru and waited for his reaction, careful to make sure her locket stayed under the covers.

As Mamoru watched Usagi sit back and look at him he saw that her eyes were all red and puffy, her nose was red, and she looked like she was trying to hide the fact that she was sad.

_Did my letter make her sad?_ he thought as he mentally went over what he had wrote. He just didn't remember writing anything that would make her sad. "Have you been crying?" he asked her, forcing himself to control the urge to reach over and caress her face. It was crazy! Yes he was in love with her, but he had just realized that the previous night. Besides, he wasn't sure how she would take that. _She didn't mind when I wiped her tears away, but she's not crying now so this is a different situation._ he thought as he waited for her answer.

Usagi looked down at the rose in her hand after she heard his question. _Well he can tell that I had been crying and he doesn't seem to mind my appearance, so I should try and relax and act how I did the last time he was here._ she thought as she nodded her head in answer to his question.

"If I asked why would you tell me?" he asked as he watched her look at the rose he had given her.

_Would I tell him?! I've been crying over guys for goodness sake. One of them is him. What would I tell him? I like you and I like another guy but I know that I don't have a chance with either one of you. Yeah right!_ she thought with a sigh as she reached over to her nightstand and grabbed her notebook and pen. She then placed her rose on her left side, opened her notebook to a blank page, and began to write.

**I don't know. I supposed I could tell you some of the reason, but you probably wouldn't care. Maybe you'd even make fun of me. I don't know.** she wrote and handed the notebook to him.

Mamoru read what she wrote and sighed as he handed her notebook back and looked at the rose that was now so close to him. "Try me." he said. "Does it have anything to do with this rose?" he asked after a few moments as he continued to look at the rose. He wanted so badly to pick it up, but he didn't know if he had a special way of handling his roses that she would pick up on.

Usagi blushed. She couldn't very well tell him that Tuxedo Kamen had given her the rose as well as a letter that touched her heart so deeply it made her cry. _What am I supposed to say? He snuck into my room in the middle of the night and left it on my pillow?! There's no way I can tell him that._ she thought, her blush intensifying as she pictured his reaction.

Mamoru wanted to smile at the blush on her face because she didn't look sad anymore, and he did smile when he saw her blush intensify. _What is she so embarrassed about?_ he wondered. _Why was she so sad though? Is it because of me…because of my letter?_ he thought as his smile faded. He needed to know. He needed to make her feel better. She was still sick after all and she didn't need the added stress. _Maybe I should just get right to it and let her know that I'm Tuxedo Kamen._ he thought as he sat back on his feet and pulled his jacket off. He placed it on top of his books then pushed his sleeves up to his elbows and leaned forward on her bed.

Usagi was distracted from her thoughts of Mamoru's possible reaction as she watched him remove his jacket. It seemed that now that she was aware of her feelings for him, every movement he made appealed to her. She couldn't help but appreciate the muscles in his chest as his shirt stretched when he removed his jacket, and how strong his arms looked as he pushed his sleeves up. But then she blushed as she reminded herself that she knew first hand that his arms were as strong as they looked because he had carried her a long way home.

Mamoru gazed at the rose as he leaned against her bed. _What am I going to do? How am I going to bring it up?_ he wondered but then he shocked himself by speaking. "Does it have anything to do with my letter?" he asked slowly as he continued to gaze at the rose. _Where did that come from?! I didn't think of those words. I wasn't even sure I was going to say anything._ he thought frantically. _Oh well. It's out there now. Lets see where it takes me._

Usagi blinked at Mamoru's words as she looked at him. _Did he just say 'his letter'?_ she thought, her mind on slow motion. **Your letter? What letter?** she wrote and quickly handed Mamoru the notebook.

Mamoru read her words then handed her notebook back with a silent sigh. "The letter that this rose was attached to." he said picking up the rose and handing it to her as he looked into her eyes.

Usagi accepted the rose as she looked back into his eyes. _He knows about the letter. That the rose was attached to the letter, and that means…he…has….to be…._ her thought trailed off as she slowly shook her head and mouthed the words "No way". She looked back down to her notebook and began to write what her chaotic mind would let her. **You…you're….you're….you can't be.** she wrote and slid the notebook to him.

Mamoru held Usagi's gaze as her mind worked through what he said. He could easily tell what the words were that she couldn't say, and he nodded his head slowly confirming her thoughts even as she shook her head. He then read the words that she had written and could clearly see that she was struggling with the idea of him being Tuxedo Kamen. He slid the notebook back into her lap and looked at her for a long moment. Then he pulled a perfect red rose from his subspace pocket and handed it to her.

Usagi watched Mamoru look at her after reading her chaotic thoughts on paper. Then she watched wide eyed with a silent gasp as he pulled a perfect red rose from seemingly thin air and handed it to her. She accepted it and added it to the first rose as she continued to look at him and he at her. _He really is Tuxedo Kamen. Mamoru is Tuxedo Kamen and…and he wrote the letter. All those things that he thought about me…felt about me._ she thought softly. _No…no it was Sailor Moon not me._ she thought, dropping her eyes from him to her notebook. She didn't want him to see the hurt…the pain in her eyes. She then began to write and slid the notebook to him when she was done without looking up at him.

Mamoru watched Usagi as she watched him hand her the rose and continue after. He saw a flash of emotion in her eyes, but she lowered her eyes so quickly that he couldn't tell what it was.

**How did you know I was Sailor Moon? How did you find out?** he read and looked back to her face as he slid her notebook back to her lap. _What is she thinking? Or had been thinking to make her not look at me?_ he thought as his eyes slid from her face. He could see the gold chain from the locket around her wrist just where it had been the night before. He reached over with his left hand and grabbed her right hand, pulling it toward him and freeing the star shaped locket from her covers. The electric jolts shooting through his hand and up his arm did not escape his notice but he tried to ignore it as he spoke to her.

"I know who I gave this locket to. I remember when I gave it to her, where I gave it to her, and I know that she would never give it away. No matter what." he said, still holding her hand. "I saw you slip it on when I was leaving yesterday. I'd recognize that locket anywhere, so I knew immediately that you were Sailor Moon." he finished quietly.

Usagi looked up during his explanation and smiled a small smile as she too tried to ignore the electric jolts his touch was causing. That right there, what he said, was more then enough proof that he was Tuxedo Kamen, because they were the only two who knew about it. She glanced down to his hand holding hers and she watched as he gently squeezed her hand. Her smile began to fade as she looked back to him, and she let his hand go and began to write. **Your letter was addressed to Sailor Moon and I am no longer her. The girl you like so much doesn't exist anymore. I am just Usagi…just Odango Atama.** she finished and slid the notebook to him.

Mamoru smiled when he saw the smile on Usagi's face and gently squeezed her hand when she looked down at their hands, but then he frowned when he saw the smile fade from her face. He moved his hand out of the way when she let go, knowing that she was going to write. He read her words after she slid the notebook to him and frowned again. He needed to let her know that he liked her…her as Usagi. That he wasn't feeling this way just because he really liked Sailor Moon and was happy that he finally knew who she was.

"Usagi just because you're not out there fighting doesn't mean you're not her." he said and saw the frown form on her face and watched her reach for her notebook. "Wait." he said, grabbing her hand to prevent her from writing- the electric jolts just as strong as they were a few moments ago. "Just listen, please." he said and waited until she looked at him before he continued.

"When I was thinking about all this last night I knew that we would have this problem. That you would think that I liked you just because you're Sailor Moon. That isn't it. I like you. The klutzy girl who runs into me everyday, the girl I tease and argue with, the girl who's always eating, the girl who's always laughing and smiling, and more recently the girl who's proving everyone wrong and showing how smart and graceful she is." he said as he kept his eyes locked on hers so she would know that he wasn't teasing her and meant every word he was saying.

"I like the girl who trusted me enough to take her home when she couldn't get there herself, who cared enough to worry about my health when she should have been worrying about her own, and the girl who opened up to me and told me about her problems." he said with a smile.

"See Usagi? I like you. Sailor Moon is just another part of your personality. The part that's brave enough to face youma's that most would run from, the part that's not afraid to run out in the middle of the night because her friends needed her, and …the part that would give all that up because she believes others would be safer that way." he said.

Usagi could do nothing but let her tears roll down her face as she listened to Mamoru's words. She had no idea that he liked her before these pass few days they had been spending together. It was surprising to say the least and the electricity jumping along her skin at his touch was more then a bit distracting and making it hard to fully concentrate on his words.

"You know I hadn't realized that I liked you until a few days ago, and I know I must have because you're the only girl I've paid so much attention to. Ever!" he continued with a light laugh as he used his free hand to wipe away her tears, his finger tips tingling every time they came in contact with her warm face. "Even though I just realized that, I was really stressed over it. I've never liked two girls at the same time and I wondered what I would do about it. I had feelings for Sailor Moon for so long and even though my feelings for you were new…they were turning out to be really intense. You were right here and I never knew if I would see her again, but it wasn't as if I could just get rid of my feelings for her. I didn't know what to do…" he trailed off as he looked down at the star locket.

"I didn't know how to choose or even if I could choose, but then I saw the locket…and I think I went into shock." he said with a laugh as he looked back to her face. "But later when I had gotten over the shock I realized that I didn't have to choose. So with that stress gone I only had one thing to worry about…how you would feel about all of this. How you would feel about me." he said as he wiped away more tears from her face.

"I knew how much you liked Tuxedo Kamen seeing as how obvious it is that Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen like each other, and I worried about how you would feel when you learned that I was him." he finished with a sigh as he let her hand go.

Usagi sat there trying to slow her pounding heart at the feel of Mamoru's hand around hers and trying to breath evenly as his fingers trailed on her face, wiping away her tears. There was nothing she could do to stop her tears. Every word he spoke triggered more and more. When he finished and released her hand she knew that he was allowing her to write whatever she wanted in response, but she was speechless. Her mind couldn't process all of it. It was too much too soon.

**I'm overwhelmed. I…** she trailed off in the sentence she was writing, struggling for words. **I need time. Just a little.** she finished and handed him the notebook.

Mamoru surprised himself with being nervous and irritated. He was nervous about what she would write to him, and irritated that he had to wait for her to write it. Waiting for her response was turning out to be a nightmare, and it had only been a few moments! He almost sighed in relief when she handed him her notebook, and then held his breath as he read the tiny response.

"Time." he whispered as he blinked at her words. "Of course. Of course you need time. I should have known. I had hours to think all of this through. Ummm…I could go and come back tomorrow." he said as he handed her notebook back.

Usagi watched Mamoru's reaction and frowned slightly at his last words. She did need time to wrap her mind around everything. He had just showed her that he was Tuxedo Kamen and told her that he liked her, but she wanted to tell him how she felt today. She didn't want to wait until tomorrow, until he finished his classes and could make time to come over, so she picked up her pen and began to write.

**Could you come back later today? I would ask you to stay, but I think you would be bored around here. I also don't think I would be able to think clearly if you were still in the house. Do you think you could make it back before my father gets home? I'm willing to risk his wrath, but I don't want you to have to. I'm not sure I'd see you again if that happened, so if you can't make it then I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow.** she finished and slid the notebook back to him.

Mamoru picked up the notebook and began to read. He smiled at the mention of her fathers wrath. He remembered what she had said about him before, and didn't want to risk it either. The last thing he wanted was to get banned from the house. _Well she wants to see me later so that's a good thing. She wants me to know whatever it is she's thinking or going to think, and it sounds like she really doesn't want to wait until tomorrow. She wouldn't want to see me later just to tell me that she wants nothing to do with me right?_ he thought as he handed her notebook back.

"I'll come back later. I promise. And if I can't make it before your father gets home…well….it doesn't matter because he won't know. Are you okay with that?" he asked as he slipped his jacket on.

Usagi listened to Mamoru and watched as he put his jacket on. Her heart felt like it was trying to break out of her chest and it was effecting her breathing. Even so she managed to nod her head in answer to his question before the coughing started. She was amazed that it had stayed away for as long as it did. She brought her hands up to her mouth, not wanting to cough all over the place, her locket hanging from her right wrist while her roses sat between the fingers of her left hand. The coughing had only lasted a few moments but she could feel the pain in her stomach from her aching muscles. She had a little time to take a few breaths and then the coughing started again.

Mamoru watched Usagi nod her head at his question as he began to pick up his books, but then she started coughing and he abandoned them. He frowned at the fact that there was nothing he could do to stop her coughing. All he could do was wait for it to end and hope she was okay. So he watched as her cough ended, only to begin again after a few short breaths. _Ugh! I don't like that there's nothing I can do._ he thought as he listened to her cough and watched as a pained expression flashed across her face. _There has to be something._ he thought a little frantically.

Usagi was struggling to hold back the tears that her pain was causing. Not only was her stomach aching but her throat felt raw. After a short time the cough finally ended and she quickly picked up her pen and began to write quickly, hoping to beat her next cough. **I'm okay. Really. It's just hurting my stomach and my throat, but that's okay because it will go away soon. Anyway you should go. The sooner you leave the sooner you can get back.** she finished, and smiled because she hadn't been interrupted by her coughing. She then handed him the notebook and then laid her roses on the far right side of her pillow, so they wouldn't get crushed when she laid down.

Mamoru read her words then sighed. "Okay I'll go. You just try to get some rest while you're thinking, and I'll see you later." he said and quickly kissed her on the cheek. He didn't even think about it; he just did it. He then grabbed his books and hurried to her door.

He opened the door, walked out, and looked back to her. She was looking at him with a slightly dazed -shocked look on her face, so he smiled, said bye, and closed the door softly.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi sat there staring at the closed door still shocked and dazed and still seeing Mamoru's smiling face. _He kissed me. He kissed me._ she thought in a daze. It wasn't anything special like a kiss on the lips, but even so- she had never been kissed by a guy before and she had never thought it would be Mamoru who would give her her first kiss. _But no… he __**had**__ given me my first kiss. I was a bit out of it and everything was fuzzy, but I remember quite clearly Tuxedo Kamen kissing me at that Princess' ball._ she thought as she slowly laid down and picked up her roses as she remembered that night.

She then sighed and began to try and wrap her mind around the fact that Mamoru was Tuxedo Kamen and that he liked her. Actually liked her for her and not because she was Sailor Moon. Tears began to trail from her eyes as she remembered his words- spoken so fervently as he explained why he liked her. That it really was more then just her being Sailor Moon. _But he does like Sailor Moon a lot. Just like I like Tuxedo Kamen a lot. Then here we go starting to like each other without the other knowing, and the feelings are so intense even though they're new. It's like we're suppose to be together._ she thought but then she had to put her thoughts on hold as she was wracked by another never ending cough and she pulled her covers up over her mouth to try and muffle the sound.

When the cough ended she lay as still as she could trying to breath lightly so she wouldn't trigger another cough, and so her stomach wouldn't hurt as much. There was a knock on her door and she carefully pulled her roses under the covers just before the door opened to reveal her mother.

"Hi honey. How are you doing?" her mom asked as she sat on the edge of her bed. She sat up slightly, grabbed her notebook and pen, turned to a new page, and began to write. **I'm the same but today I have a cough.** she wrote and handed the notebook to her mom. "Is your voice still gone?" her mom asked as she handed the notebook back.

Usagi tried to speak, just so that they would know for sure, but nothing came out. She only succeeded in irritating her throat more. "Well that's okay. At least we know for sure." her mom said and she nodded her head. "I also came to ask why Mamoru left so soon. I had expected him to stay longer. I'm kind of curious as to why he seemed so happy too." she finished.

**He had remembered something that he forgot to do. Hopefully he'll be back before dad gets home, but if not then he'll be back tomorrow.** she wrote and handed the notebook to her mom. _I really hope she doesn't push for an answer as to why he was so happy. If she does I'll just make something up._ she thought. "Oh well I hope he does come back today. He's such a nice young man to come visit you like he does." Mrs. Tsukino said as she handed Usagi's notebook back. "Can I get you anything or do anything for you?" she asked.

_Hmmm…I haven't really eaten in days, and I know that I can't live off of sips of orange juice. I'll never get better if I do that._ she thought briefly. **Can you bring me some warm orange juice? Like at room temperature so I can drink it, and some oatmeal?** she wrote and handed it to her mom. "Sure thing honey. I'll be back when your oatmeal's done." Mrs. Tsukino said as she placed Usagi's notebook back on her nightstand for her, and then left the room.

_Okay where was I? Oh right. The fact that it seems like we're supposed to be together. I think it's interesting how he was worried about liking me and Sailor Moon while I was worried about liking him and Tuxedo Kamen._ she thought as she remembered the many times Tuxedo Kamen had helped in fights and saved her, and then how Mamoru had been treating her lately. _I still can't believe that Mamoru is Tuxedo Kamen though. All these months he was right in front of my face. Why didn't I see? How come I couldn't tell?_ she thought as she coughed a few times. _I guess he has a glamour too like the rest of us…or like the girls have, which is a good thing. He needs his privacy and safety like the rest of them._ she thought as she pulled her roses out and looked at them.

Usagi continued to think about the fact that Mamoru was Tuxedo Kamen until her mom came back with her food. As her mom was focusing on not spilling her food and juice she quickly yet carefully pulled her roses under her covers as she sat up. She accepted her food with a smile and began to eat as her mom left the room. As she ate she moved from thinking about how Mamoru was Tuxedo Kamen to her feelings for him. Not just her recent feelings but her feelings going all the way back before the night she had run into him.

When she was done eating she moved her bowl from her lap and switched it with where her notebook rested on her nightstand. She then turned a couple of pages in and began to write a letter of sorts to Mamoru, telling him how his letter effected her, explaining her feelings for him as Tuxedo Kamen and him as just Mamoru, and whatever else she decided she wanted him to know.

As she sat there writing she heard a knock on her door, and looked up in time to see her father poke his head in. She had to hide the sad look that formed on her face at seeing him. Her balcony was covered so she couldn't see the sky to judge the time and she hadn't even thought to look at her clock, so she hadn't known or realized how quickly the time was passing. She hadn't even known what time Mamoru had got there.

"I just wanted to check on you and see how you were feeling and if there was anything I could do for you." her dad said.

Usagi frowned, a mixture of her sadness and her thoughts, as she tried to think of something her father could do for her. Once she figured out what she wanted she turned a few pages back to where she had written to her mother and began to write. **I'm feeling the same actually, but now I have a cough. I just need rest that's all.** she wrote and handed the notebook to him. She didn't want him worrying about her while he was at work.

"Okay, but if you just need some rest then why are you not getting it right now?" he asked as he handed her notebook back. Usagi smiled at her father as she took the notebook from him. **Because I need to finish writing something. As soon as I'm done I'll be off to sleep because I am tired.** she wrote and handed the notebook to him. "If you say so. Is there anything I can do or get for you while I'm here?" he asked as he handed her notebook back. **Yes. Could you take my bowl to the kitchen, and could you get me some room temperature orange juice please?** she wrote and handed the notebook to him. "Okay Usagi. I'll be right back." her father said as he handed her the notebook and grabbed her bowl and cup, and then left.

Usagi watched her father leave then turned back to where she had been writing to Mamoru and continued where she left off. A few minutes later her father returned and placed her cup of orange juice on her nightstand as he glanced at her notebook.

"I'm curious. What are you writing?" he asked and Usagi quickly covered the notebook and shook her head with a smile as she struggled not to blush. "Okay okay. I'll leave you to whatever you're writing." he said as he backed away with his hands up slightly in a clear show that he was giving up.

Usagi waved at him as he left and watched as he closed the door before she went back to her writing. Half an hour later she was done writing Mamoru's letter and her hand was aching. _I hope I don't have to write again until tomorrow._ she thought as she closed her notebook and put it on her nightstand. _Although I might have to write again when Mamoru gets here._ she thought as she pulled her roses carefully from under her covers. _I wonder how he plans on seeing me tonight without my father knowing._ she wondered and then rolled her eyes at herself. _Hello Usagi! He's Tuxedo Kamen. He'll come see you the same way he delivered the letter._ she thought as she looked to her balcony. _I'm feeling better since I ate so I think I'll open up the curtains._ she thought as she put her roses on her pillow, pushed her covers back, and got to her feet.

She walked slowly over to her balcony, pulled down the dark blanket, and pushed the curtains open. It was of course dark out but the moon was not quite visible that night, and that made her feel a little melancholy as she folded the blanket with more care then she did the last time she had pulled it down. After she finished folding the blanket she placed it to the side of her balcony and cracked one of the doors open and made her way back to her bed.

She was tired but she didn't want to take her NyQuil because she wanted to be able to stay awake when Mamoru came, and she had no idea when he was coming so she decided to rest her eyes until he arrived. So she placed her roses in her nightstand with the letter he had given her, since she didn't want anything to happen to them and because she didn't want her parents to see them, and stretched out in her bed as she wrapped her fingers around her star locket.

_I wonder what he's doing right now. I wonder what he did after he left here. Hmmm…maybe he's thinking about everything he said to me. Or maybe he's wondering what I'm thinking about everything he said._ she thought with a few back to back coughs. _Where is he? He…he promised he would come back…_ she thought as she drifted to sleep.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru walked down the stairs after leaving Usagi's room with a smile. He was shocked that he had kissed her but after seeing the look on her face he was content to let whatever had made him kiss her take control again. He had liked the way it felt anyway, and **that** too was shocking.

_I'm still amazed at the fact that I'm in love with Usagi…with Odango!_ he thought with a soft chuckle as he shook his head lightly.

Once he reached the landing at the bottom of the stairs he took a few steps and found Mrs. Tsukino in the living room watching the news. He let her know that he was leaving because he had just remembered that he had forgotten to do something, and even though she accepted his reason, by the look on her face he could tell that his happiness was still very apparent and had caught her attention.

_Okay. Where to go?_ he wondered after leaving Usagi's house. _I could go home or to the park or the arcade._ he considered as he walked down the sidewalk away from her house. He eventually decided on going to the arcade and on his way he bought Usagi some mint flavored cough drops. He always liked the cool mint feeling in his mouth and throat when he took a breath and hoped that she would too.

After Mamoru arrived at the arcade he sat in his usual seat, put his books down on the counter in front of them- along with the cough drops, and watched Motoki walk around and help the few customers that were there. When Motoki noticed him there he came over and actually sat down next to him instead of standing behind the counter.

"Hey there Mamoru. Who are the cough drops for?" Motoki asked curiously. "They're for Usagi." Mamoru answered. "She's not doing any better." he continued since he knew that Motoki would want to know. "In fact she's doing worse since the last time I told you about her. She's lost her voice, day light hurts her eyes, and she's developed a cough. You know the kind that just keeps going and won't stop until your stomach hurts." he finished in a low tone.

"Oh no….Usagi…" Motoki said in a quiet worried tone. "Maybe she needs to see a doctor. What if she gets worse? What if she has pneumonia?" he asked in a worried slightly panicked tone that did nothing to ease the worry that Mamoru had already been feeling over her health. "Maybe I'm over reacting." he continued with a sigh. "I'm just worried. I hope she gets better soon." he finished. "She's been taking her medicine so don't worry too much." Mamoru said, wishing he could take his own advice.

"So, are you going to tell me the **real** reason why you were so happy? Why you're **still** happy?" Motoki asked as he tried to push his worry over Usagi away.

Mamoru opened his mouth, getting ready to speak, but the sound of his name stopped him. He closed his eyes with a pained expression on his face and sighed quietly- knowing who it was. He then opened his eyes and gave Motoki a sad look before turning to see Rei walking toward them. She was alone and looked as if she was dressed to impress. He saw that she was wearing a red long sleeve button up shirt and a denim skirt that went just above her knees.

"Hello Rei." he said. "Hey Rei." Motoki said right after Mamoru. "Hey you two." they heard her say and watched as she eyed the bag of cough drops. "Are you sick Mamoru?" she asked.

_Did I look sick the last time you saw me?_ the thought rolled through Mamoru's mind as he looked at Motoki and watched as he raised his eyebrows as if to ask 'what are you going to say?' "Actually I think I might be getting sick so you should keep your distance." he answered, hoping that she would value her health more then talking to him. "I can't do that. If I did who would take care of you." he heard her say and he saw Motoki raise his eyebrows again.

Mamoru rolled his eyes with an irritated sigh as he wondered why Rei even liked him. He hadn't done anything to call her attention to him in such a way. In fact he had done the opposite with all the yelling, teasing, and arguing he had done with Usagi. _You would think that she wouldn't be interested in someone who treated her friend in such a way._

"I'm not a baby. I've been taking care of myself since I was a child. Doing it now would be no problem." he said and watched as she blinked in shock, but then she seemed to rally herself out of it. "I know you can take care of yourself. Of course you can. I just wanted to be of help if I could." she said. "That's okay. Thanks for the offer, but I don't need any help." he said as he wondered if she would still be willing to be of help if he let slip that he was Tuxedo Kamen.

"What are you doing here anyway? Are you meeting the girls here or some of your other friends?" Motoki asked, cutting in since he could see that his best friend was beginning to get irritated. Besides that he still wanted to know the reason for Mamoru's happiness. "Oh no, I was just passing by on my way home from Makoto's house, and when I saw Mamoru in here I thought I'd see if he could walk me home." she said as she looked from Motoki to Mamoru. "Sorry but he's only here because I needed to talk to him about something important, so he's going to help me close up while we talk." Motoki said in an apologetic tone.

"Yeah sorry but it's very important other wise I'd be home getting some rest." Mamoru added. "Oh, well that's okay. I guess I better get going before it gets too late." she said with a sigh. "Bye Motoki, bye Mamoru. You take care okay." she said as she walked to the doors. They said their goodbyes and moments later she was gone.

"Thanks Motoki. I owe you one." Mamoru said with a sigh. "That's okay. It seems like everyone except Rei can see that you're not interested in her that way." Motoki said as he rolled his eyes. "Why did you go on dates with her in the first place?" he asked. "I went because I hoped that she would see that we had nothing in common and would get over the crush she seems to have on me without having to hurt her feelings. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the nicest person when it comes to letting girls know that I'm not interested but she's Odango's friend and I didn't want to do that to her friend." he explained, purposely using his pet name for Usagi.

"Hmmm… that's interesting." Motoki said slowly. "Well I'll be right back. Gotta get the rest of these people out of here." he said as he patted Mamoru on the shoulder and walked away.

Mamoru sighed as he watched Motoki walk away and then turned around in his seat so that he was facing the counter. He wondered about what he was going to tell Motoki exactly. He knew that Motoki had always seen Usagi as a little sister, and what would most brothers say and do if they found out that their best friend liked their sister, especially their **little** sister?

_Ugh! My head hurts just thinking about his reaction, but still… I can't keep it from him…and I don't want to. I want him to know._ he thought as the index finger on his left hand traced the words on the bag of cough drops. _I'll just tell him that I like Usagi. That I just realized it today. That's some what true. He doesn't need to know that I realized that I'm in love with her, especially before she knows it. I couldn't explain how that came about anyway. What would I say? 'Oh well Usagi is Sailor Moon and I'm Tuxedo Kamen and we've liked each other for months now. Put that together with how I feel about Usagi and you get me in love with her.'_ he thought with a small smile as he rolled his eyes.

"Alright Mamoru." Motoki said a few minutes later and Mamoru turned to see him locking the doors. "It's time. I've been waiting all day. What's with your happy mood? What's the reason for it?" he asked and Mamoru sighed in preparation for what ever was about to happen.

"Well…I've been thinking about Usagi a lot the pass few days, and last night I realized that I really like her." Mamoru said. He had made sure to add 'really' in case he said or did something that proved that what he felt for her was more then a crush.

"U…Usagi?!" Motoki said in shock, stopping in his tracks. "But you're always yelling at her and teasing her and making fun of her." he added as he started to move again, walking over to sit next to Mamoru.

"I know I know." Mamoru said as he rubbed his eyes and moved his fingers to run through his hair.

"You do realize that she's just as old as Rei. You have nothing in common with her so what makes you think you have anything in common with Usagi?" Motoki asked. "And how could you like her?! You haven't spent any time with her." he added in an agitated rush.

That was of course true from Motoki's point of view. He had only witnessed their encounters in the arcade. He hadn't seen all the times in the park or when she had run into him out on the streets. He probably hadn't even been paying attention the last time they were in the arcade together. He knew nothing of how much time he had spent with her these last few days- talking with her and seeing another side of her, and he certainly didn't know about their secret identities and the knowledge and feelings that came with them.

"Motoki…" he said with a sigh. "I know that she's just as old as Rei, but she's nothing like her." he said with a slight shake of his head. "She has a quiet gentleness that surrounds her," he said and blinked in surprise. _Where did that come from? Is that what I really think?_ he thought with a mental frown. _Well I said it so I must._ "and believe it or not but we **have** seen each other away from this place. These feelings…they didn't just come out of nowhere, even though I just realized what they meant." he finished.

Mamoru sat there looking at Motoki, feeling nervous as he waited for him to speak or do something. He had noticed during his little explanation how he had shifted his eyes to the counter, and he wondered what he was thinking and how he would respond to his words. It was clear that Motoki was shocked at learning that Usagi was his reason for being so happy, and it seemed to him that he was trying to figure out what was so different about the two young girls. However, to Mamoru there was no comparison between them. The only thing they had in common was their age. Besides that they were completely different, and he was only attracted to one of them.

_What is he going to say? What is he going to do?_ Mamoru wondered as he watched Motoki. _Is he okay with this? Will he approve of my feelings for her? Not that I've explained my feelings. Not that his approval matters. If he doesn't approve then so what? It's not going to stop me from being with her…if she feels the same way about me anyway._ he thought as he watched a smile form on Motoki's face. _Smiling. That's good right? Hopefully it means he won't blow up at me and our friendship can stay intact._ he thought as he watched Motoki look at him.

"You know I've been wondering for the longest time when you two would get together. Does she know how you feel? Do you know how she feels?" he asked, his smile getting bigger and bigger with each sentence he spoke.

"What?" Mamoru said in surprise. "But you were just listing all the reasons why I probably shouldn't be feeling this way." he said in confusion.

"Yeah…I just wanted to see what you would say to all that. I mean I **was** surprised that Usagi is the reason for your happiness and good mood, but - well I don't know about everyone else- but to me its been obvious that you like her and she likes you. It was also obvious that you two weren't realizing what you were feeling for each other- calling it irritation, annoyance, childish, nerve wrecking." Motoki explained. "You know what I called it while I watched you two? I called it attraction." he said with a light laugh.

Mamoru couldn't believe it. He was sitting here listening to his best friend explain how he was okay with him liking Usagi, because he had known about his feelings- and apparently her feelings as well- before he even did. He was a bit stunned by that revelation. Had it really been obvious that they liked each other with all the yelling they did and making fun of each other? And did that mean that it was possible that Usagi might return his feelings? That she might feel the same way he did?

"Well…well to answer your questions," he said, shaking his head lightly in wonder. "She does know how I feel since I just told her before I came here…" he continued but then Motoki cut in. "What did she say? Did she tell you how she feels?" Motoki asked a little excitedly. Mamoru hadn't shown any interest in a girl in some time and then when he finally does she turns out to be the one to actually make him happy and brighten him up. He thought that was a good excuse to be at least a little excited.

"She didn't say anything. She lost her voice remember? Anyway, she wrote that she was overwhelmed and needed some time to think, so I'm giving her that time. I was going to try and make it back before her father did, but it looks like I won't make it." he said as he looked to the glass doors of the arcade and beyond to the night sky. "I'll have to wait until tomorrow." he added quietly.

Her father was probably home by now and if he wasn't it still didn't matter. They were going to need some time to talk things through and they wouldn't have had enough time before her father showed up. Of course he wasn't going to tell Motoki that he was really going back to her house that night. That was just between Usagi and himself. He had promised her and he was **not** about to break his first promise to her.

"I don't understand. Why would she need time to think?" Motoki asked, seemingly thinking out loud and talking to him.

_Blunt much?_ was the first thought that crossed Mamoru's mind before he began to formulate an answer. _Well, it's not like I can tell him that I told her __**way**__ more then just that I liked her._ he thought with a sigh. "Well I did kind of spring it on her you know, and whose to say that she's realized what she feels for me? **If** she feels anything for me." he corrected himself. He had to remind himself that just because she liked Tuxedo Kamen and he had revealed that he was -in fact- Tuxedo Kamen, and that he had told her how he felt about her didn't mean that she was going to like him. For all he knew she could be thinking up a way to let him down easy, but then again that wouldn't really make sense with how she seemed to want him to come back that night. She had to have something positive to tell him right?

"Mamoru trust me. She likes you. Usagi hasn't liked many guys. I know that you must have realized that she had a crush on me. That changed right around the time she met you. The little crush she had on me…**that** was child's play compared to what she feels for you. Even if she hasn't realized that yet." Motoki assured him, but Mamoru still wasn't sure. "Believe me. As an impartial bystander whose witnessed you two together- who knows you both well- believe me when I say that she likes you." he added with feeling.

Mamoru wanted to believe him. He wanted to very much, but Motoki didn't know about the 'crush' she had on Tuxedo Kamen. No. He couldn't…**wouldn't** let himself believe it until he heard it from her. Or read it from her in her own words.

"I hope you're right because -apparently- I'm really liking her." he said with an almost longing sigh. All this talk was starting to make him anxious to ditch Motoki to get back to her. He didn't want to wait too long and have them talking all night. She was still sick after all and needed her rest.

"What are you going to do about Rei?" he heard Motoki ask after a few quiet moments, and he almost groaned in frustrated irritation. That was **not** something he wanted to think about yet, especially not without knowing what Usagi felt for him. Although, he knew- whether Usagi returned his feelings or not- that he was going to have to find a way to deal with her crush on him. She and Usagi may not be getting along at the moment but hopefully they would work things out, and sooner or later she would learn that he was Tuxedo Kamen. Even the Senshi knew how obvious it was that they liked each other…at least he hoped it was. At the very least they knew what Usagi felt for Tuxedo Kamen, and it would be a difficult 'working' environment for them if she still had feelings for him when it was clear that he liked Usagi. And even if they didn't work things out soon he planned on being around Usagi a lot, spending time with her- whether it was at her home or out in public if she returned his feelings- and he knew that that would not help matters between their friendship.

"I have no idea and I honestly don't want to think about it yet." he said tiredly.

"Tired?" Motoki asked. "or are you just nervous about what Usagi will say…or write tomorrow?" he asked with a small smirk. "Hmmm…or maybe you've caught whatever bug Usagi's got." he considered with a frown.

"Tired and nervous I think." Mamoru said. "I think I just need to stop thinking and relax." he added as he stretched his arms high above his head.

"You should go home and get some sleep then. That would take care of all of it." he said as he got to his feet. "And take some medicine just in case." he called back to Mamoru as he headed to wipe down the tables. When he saw Mamoru still sitting there he waved him toward the back doors with a smile and started on the closest table.

Mamoru laughed at Motoki's way of telling him he could go now as he got up and grabbed his books and Usagi's cough drops. He then said goodbye to him as he headed toward the back exit, and once he was out back he put his books and the cough drops in his subspace pocket and transformed into Tuxedo Kamen. He wasn't trying to show off or give her anymore proof in case she was still doubting him. He just wanted to get there faster.

Once at her house he landed silently on her balcony and de-transformed. He noticed immediately that her curtains were open and that she left the door open for him. As he looked through the window he saw her lying there, sound asleep even though her light was still on, holding the star locket in her little hand. He smiled at the sight as he removed his shoes and set them off to the side as he retrieved her bag of cough drops. He knocked lightly on the glass as he pushed one of the doors open, wanting her to hear but not wanting her family to hear.

* * *

Usagi shifted in her bed slightly. She was half asleep…well more then half asleep, but she thought she heard a sound so she opened her eyes. She saw a tall guy closing her balcony door and step toward her. She closed her eyes a moment later. She was clearly dreaming and just knew that if she closed her eyes the backdrop behind the cute guy walking toward her would change to something more romantic.

_That cutie looks like baka._ she thought groggily and then gave a mental gasp. _Mamoru!_ she thought as she snapped her eyes open and tried to sit up as she rubbed her eyes seeing that she was not dreaming and that Mamoru was very much there. When she finished rubbing the sleep from her eyes and was half sitting up half leaning back on her pillow she smiled tiredly at him, but as soon as her smile was complete she was wracked with a cough.

Mamoru knelt down next to Usagi's bed as he waited for Usagi's cough to end. _I'm really glad I got these cough drops._ he thought as he watched her and listened to her cough continue.

"I'm sorry for being late and for waking you." he said quietly when her cough ended. "I got you these after I left." he added as he handed her the bag of cough drops. He then pulled one of his perfect red roses from his subspace pocket and handed it to her as well. "A rose for every time I visit you." he said softly with a smile.

Usagi smiled as she accepted the cough drops, mouthing the words 'thank you' as she did so, and then smiled hugely as she accepted the rose and listened to his soft words.

_Ooooohhhh!!!!!_ she thought excitedly. _He's going to give me a rose every time he visits. And it sounds like he's going to be doing that a lot._ she thought as she leaned over and grabbed her notebook. She placed her rose behind her right ear, sticking it in and weaving it through her hair in the process to free her hand. She then opened the notebook to the first page of his 'letter' and handed it to him with a shy smile.

Mamoru accepted her notebook smiling at the lengthy paragraphs as he made himself comfortable on her floor and leaned against her bed facing her as he began to read.

As Mamoru made himself comfortable Usagi took the opportunity to open the bag of cough drops and pop one into her mouth. _Mmmmm…mint flavor._ she thought as she lifted her eyebrows slightly and read the package.

A few minutes later found Usagi dissolving her third cough drop and Mamoru still reading when suddenly there was a knock on her bedroom door. They both glanced to each other and then quickly to the door.


	8. A Discourse and Contemplations

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

A Discourse and Contemplations

Time seemed to freeze as Usagi and Mamoru stared at her room door as if it were a living person. No. It wasn't a living person, but there was a living person on the other side of it. Was it her mother, her father, her little brother??

_It doesn't matter who it is! I'm not supposed to be here! _Mamoru thought frantically as he quickly closed the notebook and placed it on Usagi's lap as he scanned her room for a place to hide. His eyes landed on her closet and he made a mad dash for it.

Usagi's frozen attention on her door was snapped back to reality as she felt Mamoru place her notebook on her lap. She quickly stuffed her cough drops under her covers and placed the notebook back on her nightstand, but then thought better of it and decided to put it in her nightstand. She grabbed the notebook, leaned over and opened the drawer, and was met with the sight of the two perfect roses that Mamoru had given her. She immediately remembered the rose resting behind her ear and quickly put it in with the others as she slipped her notebook under them so they wouldn't get squished. Then just as quickly as she put the notebook in the drawer she snatched it back out and slammed the drawer closed just as her door opened to reveal her father. She had been so flustered and trying to get rid of the evidence that would prove that she wasn't alone that she nearly forgot that she needed something to make it look like she was doing something instead of sitting there looking guilty.

"Oh! You're still woke. Well I just wanted to check on you before your mother and I went to bed." she heard her father say and she had to force herself not to let her eyes wander to her closet.

The room had been empty by the time her eyes flashed to her opening door, so she knew that Mamoru had stuffed himself inside among her clothing. She looked down to her notebook and opened to the page she had used the last time her father had spoke to her to give herself something to do since, even though she was forcing herself, she was having a hard time keeping her eyes away from her closet.

"Is there anything you want me to get for you?" she heard him continue as she blindly grabbed for her pen, not trusting her eyes not to stray off course.

**No. There's nothing I can think of at the moment. If I'm still woke and think of something later I'll just get it myself. Thanks dad**. She wrote and handed her father the notebook as she finally let herself look up to watch him read.

"Okay. Well if you decide you need anything and have trouble don't hesitate to wake us okay." she heard her father say as he handed her notebook back to her. She nodded and smiled at him. "Goodnight." she heard her father say as he walked to her door. "And don't forget to take your medicine." he added as he paused in the doorway.

**I won't. Goodnight**. She wrote big enough so he could read it from where he stood then watched as he closed her door with, to her great relief, an audible click. The thought of how much energy it would take to drag herself from her bed and crawl over to her closet to let Mamoru know it was okay to come out was not a pleasing thought.

Usagi looked to her closet and watched as the door opened enough to let Mamoru poke his head out cautiously and look at her then to where her door was and back to her.

"Is it okay to come out now?" he asked quietly and watched as she nodded her head. "Are you sure? Do you think I should stay in here a few more minutes? I really…I just really don't want to be banned from your house." he finished even more quietly.

He did not relish the thought of having to wait until after she was well enough to leave the house in order to see her again, and he certainly didn't want to ruin the good image her mother had of him. He was suddenly hyper aware of the fact that he was four years older then Usagi and hiding in her closet in the middle of the night. He had certainly never thought he would find himself in such a situation when he considered what it would be like to finally find a girl that he liked. One who could potentially be his girlfriend.

Usagi bit her bottom lip lightly as she frowned worriedly and considered Mamoru's concerns. She didn't want him to be banned either. She didn't even want to imagine what it would be like to not see him, to not hear him speaking to her, especially now with everything that they had just learned about and are learning about each other.

_If dad suddenly came back in here for whatever reason and saw Mamoru…it would be a complete nightmare. I'm sure it would trump anything we've seen from the negaverse so far._ she thought as she looked from Mamoru to her door and back again, her face shifting from worried to determined as she decided what she had to do. She moved her notebook and pen back to her nightstand and looked warily at her door as she pushed her covers back so she could get out of bed. Just because she was determined to make sure her father, or anyone else in the house, wouldn't be dropping by anymore that night didn't make the task any easier to perform.

She swung her legs over the side of her bed as she glanced back to Mamoru and took a small breath. The last thing she needed was to have a coughing fit that might alert her parents and cause them to check on her one more time. She braced herself and stood up, swaying slightly before she settled. After standing there a few moments to make sure she wasn't going to collapse she walked slowly to her door. As she pulled it open she tucked her hair behind her ears to get it out of her face before peaking out. The hallway was dark and her parents room door was closed with only a little light coming from the small space underneath.

_Maybe I should make sure Shingo is in his room too._ she thought as she looked to her left down the hall to where his room was. _That involves more walking but I would rather risk having to crawl back to my room then to have him burst in on me and Mamoru._ she thought as she stepped out into the hallway, keeping her left hand on the wall to help keep herself upright as she walked.

Mamoru frowned lightly as he watched Usagi stand up. She looked so tired and weak as she stood there. He wanted to stop her from exerting herself, tell her that her health wasn't worth his getting banned from her house, but then her determined expression flashed through his mind and he couldn't bring himself to speak up. He just had to remind himself that she didn't want him banned anymore then he did, and that if the coast was clear then he could easily have her in his arms again as he got her back to her bed.

So in the closet Mamoru, secretly masked ally of the Sailor Senshi, hid.

As Usagi reached Shingo's room she suddenly felt that irritated sensation in her throat and her eyes widened in horror as she realized she was about to have a coughing fit.

_No! Where's a cough drop when you need one?!_ she thought wildly as she tried to stave off the cough so she could check if Shingo was in his room and hopefully asleep. She held her breath without taking another breath, put her left hand over her mouth as if that would help keep the coughing away, and opened his door as quietly as she could with her right hand.

Shingo's room was dark but she could still see him curled up in his bed looking sound asleep. It was good enough for her so she quickly yet quietly closed his door and let out the cough that was threatening to choke her. She took a few steps back toward her room, her hands covering her mouth as she used the wall to help guide her back to her room. Halfway there her cough got worse, coming quicker and leaving her little time to catch her breath or let her stomach muscles rest.

Usagi paused in her walking, all her energy going toward the never ending cough as she slid to the floor coming to rest on her hands and knees. She threw a cautious look toward her parents room as she pushed herself to start crawling as fast as she could. If they came out she could always pretend she was coming from the bathroom, but she didn't want to do that. She just hoped they didn't come out.

She managed to crawl into her room without her parents coming to investigate, and rolled onto her back and used her foot to push the door closed as her hands came up to cover her mouth once again. Her eyes closing tightly to block out the pain.

Mamoru waited, almost holding his breath as he stood there peaking out of Usagi's closet. If the situation had been different he might have allowed himself to explore her cloths and satisfy his curiosity as to what she wore when she wasn't in school, but as it was he was too busy trying not to let the tension-filled silence get to him. It had always been quiet around Usagi since he learned that she had lost her voice, but this silence was different then all those times.

Now…now she couldn't tell him if it was okay to come out, couldn't tell him if she was on her way back, couldn't tell him if she wasn't coming back alone, couldn't tell him if she needed help…

_Ugh! Usagi!!!_ he whined out in frustration, something he would only do in his mind. _Where are you? Why is this taking so long? Is it because your body doesn't have enough energy? Have you collapsed? Are you unconscious?!_ he thought, each scenario making him more and more frantic. He was just about to risk going after her when he heard her coughing. He paused, his feet just outside her closet. He wanted to go to her, but what if he stepped out into the hallway and came face to face with not just her but one or both of her parents? He couldn't risk it, but that didn't stop him from worrying about her and constantly looking at the space where she would appear again when she entered her room.

Mamoru frowned as the sound of her coughing continued long after it should have stopped. Clearly she was experiencing another of those never-ending coughs that plagued her illness. The sound grew louder and louder until finally he saw her. He almost breathed a relieved sigh, but then he saw her crawling along her floor as she coughed endlessly. The sound of her door closing never sounded so sweet to his ears then it did at that moment.

He stepped quickly from her closet and quickly walked over to her prone body as she continued to be racked by coughs. He moved around to her left side and gently picked her up, cradling her vibrating body against his as he moved over to her bed.

Even with the situation being what it was Mamoru enjoyed having Usagi in his arms, especially since it felt so differently then the last time she was resting in his arms. Last time he was full of little shocks and surprises at how her little body felt in his arms, but he had pushed them to the back of his mind as he puzzled over how she had gotten sick and the situation with her friends. Now there was no distractions keeping him from enjoying the light weight of her body. He was still unsure of how she became ill but he knew the situation with her friends, and aiding him in enjoying her presence in his arms were his newly realized feelings for the slight enigma that was Usagi.

With those feelings came the reminder of what she had written to him. He had barely started when the knock interrupted him but he had seen how long it was and it gave him even more hope then the happy surprise she showed at his appearance and the shy happy smile that she shined his way after accepting his rose. Maybe he would come away from her house tonight with a girlfriend. A girlfriend who would be happy to see him and understand his moods and possibly his thoughts.

Usagi was distracted by her coughing and the pain it caused but not enough not to notice the warmth and feel of Mamoru's body as he held her in his arms once again. She hadn't noticed it before but the safe feeling she always felt when Tuxedo Kamen held her was very much present now. Of course she was in the arms of said masked man so it would stand to reason why she would feel that way. It meant a lot to her…that safe feeling, with the way she was feeling at the moment. She was in so much pain, feeling so weak, and even though Mamoru made it perfectly clear how he felt about her- she was still feeling nervous about their newly revealed feelings and where they would go, so she was very grateful for the comforting feeling he provided her.

After a few moments, just as her never-ending cough was coming to an end, Usagi felt the softness of her mattress beneath her and Mamoru's warm arms slowly slipping away from her. She opened her eyes as she tried to regain her breath without triggering another cough and watched as he pulled her covers up over her before returning to where he sat before her father interrupted.

"Are you okay?" Mamoru asked quietly as he finished settling in his position, searching her face as if the answer would be there.

Usagi turned her head to the nightstand on her left and reached over to grab her notebook and pen. She slid her feet long her covers, bringing her legs up and used them to prop her notebook up so she could write.

**I'm okay. I just really wish these coughs would stop.** she wrote with a sigh. **Thanks again for the cough drops. They're going to be my best friends until I get better.** she continued with a small smile. **Anyway, both of my parents are in their room and my brother is asleep, so we should be okay as long as we don't get loud…well as long as you don't get loud.** she finished and handed him the notebook.

"I'm just glad I can help you get better in some way. Just let me know if you need anything and I'll get it for you." he said as he handed her notebook back. "And I'll make sure to be as quiet as I can, which shouldn't be too hard since I'll be reading." he added with a soft smile, which widened as he watch a light blush spread across her face.

Usagi pulled her eyes away from Mamoru as she flipped through her notebook to the pages she had written for him, then handed him the notebook as she tried to control her blush. It wasn't working so she gave up and distracted herself by fishing a cough drop from the bag tucked away under her covers.

The smile never left Mamoru's face as he accepted the notebook once again to begin anew in his reading of Usagi's thoughts and feelings concerning him. His smile dimmed gradually but that was only due to his concentration on her written words.

**My Baka…my Mamoru…my Tuxedo Kamen,** he read, his mind imagining her soft voice speaking to him, his heart beating a little faster at the possessiveness in her words. He liked that. To finally have someone claim him as theirs. It still amazed him that that person was turning out to be Usagi. His Odango Atama.

**It started with you being concerned about my injury. "Why is he so worried?" I wondered. Some people would have seen that I was okay enough to be moving around and left it at that,…but not you. You like to be very thorough don't you? Especially when you're worried. I had wondered how much you had thought about me for you to be so concerned, but then I just had to think about that night to understand since I had thought about you as well.**

**I had wondered if you were really okay or if you just didn't want me to worry. Even with you being such a baka I didn't want to be responsible for causing you any kind of pain.**

Her words were exactly what he expected from her. Although, if he had read this a few days ago he would have been utterly surprised at the fact that she hadn't wanted to cause him any pain. Even though he enjoyed that blue fire in her eyes that snapped when she was angry he had seen a look that suggested she wanted to cause him all kinds of pain.

_Perhaps it had been the heat of the moment_. He considered. _Who knows what she saw in my eyes when we were firing insults back and forth_. He thought as he continued to read her words.

**Then you got me home when I couldn't make it myself. That didn't surprise me. I couldn't imagine you not helping someone, even if you didn't like them. What surprised me actually, was that you stayed and took care of me.** He read and frowned lightly. It had surprised him at the time as well. It had been an instant reaction to the fear he had seen in her eyes. He couldn't just leave her after that, and her mother had looked almost panicked. He hadn't liked that one bit, and knew that the only solution was to deal with Usagi's fever.

Mamoru continued to read her written thoughts and feelings with zeal. Her description of his concern over her fractured friendship with her three best friends. She was surprised and shocked that he wanted to know what happened and why. She couldn't seem to understand why he even cared. Why he had taken it upon himself to try and help, but his explanation about how her personality had changed for the worse and how he didn't like it seemed to be enough to convince her to open up to him.

_Well…she opened up as much as she could, and I learned that we have something in common that none of our friends has with us or knows about._ he thought with a mental sigh. _I can see why her friends wouldn't understand. They probably wouldn't have even thought it over before dismissing it as her fearing adulthood. That or being afraid of her responsibilities as a senshi._ he thought in irritation before continuing on to the next page.

**It was only recently that I began to realize that I was developing feelings for you. To be honest I think that I'm only now realizing this because of the time we've been spending together and the differences I see in you. I'm use to the mean, cold, irritated, distant baka; not the nice, caring, considerate, thoughtful Mamoru.**

As Usagi soothed her throat with the mint cough drops she watched Mamoru as he read her words. She hadn't planned on staring at him as he read but she couldn't help it. She wasn't used to seeing emotions on his face, and right now they were flashing across as if they were trying to make up for lost time. The happy smile that would come and go as he read was her favorite. She had seen him smile before, mostly when he was teasing her, but these smiles were even better. They seemed bigger and brighter and his face softened from the almost annoyed look he seemed to carry around everywhere.

_He should frown less and smile more often._ she thought with an almost silent sigh as she settled back into her pillow and stretched her legs. _It's easier to smile. Takes less effort._ she thought idly as she watched a frown form on his handsome face. _Maybe he just needs more to smile about…or someone to make him smile._ she considered as his words from the day before played through her mind. _**"I don't have a lot of friends, so I haven't had too many opportunities to just play around and have fun."**_

_I'll change that!_ she thought determinedly. _I could change it faster if I wasn't sick! Ugh! Why am I sick anyway?! I never get sick. It may not seem like it but I take care of myself._ she thought with a sigh that turned into a yawn. _Look at me. I'm determined to make Mamoru smile, to make him happy. I never would have guessed that I would one day actually want to make him smile. And now…and now…_ she thought as she looked to Mamoru's peaceful expression. _Now it seems I can't stop thinking about his smile. Those smiling lips. Those lips that are surprisingly soft…_ her dreamy thought trailed off as her left hand came up to lightly touch her cheek where Mamoru had kissed her. Her eyes closed and a blush rose to her cheeks as she tried to remember every detail of the kiss he had given her at the Princess' Ball.

Mamoru chuckled lightly at her words. He wondered if they had just taken a day or so to actually be nice to each other and maybe have a little chat, if they could have figured out their feelings for each other sooner. Maybe they could have been together this whole time.

_I guess maybe we'll just have to make up for lost time._ he considered and then shook his head lightly. _I'm getting ahead of myself. I need to finish reading. I need to know what she thinks of me once and for all._ he thought as he found where he left off and continued to read.

He read her description of the nervous effect he now has on her, but at the same time how he gives her a comforting feeling. He didn't know how to feel about that. He was sure that he made a lot of people nervous, but he didn't know of anybody who took comfort from him.

_You do now._ a calm and confident voice whispered through his mind, and he blinked in slight confusion. The voice had sounded like him, yet it was different in its tones. Did some part of him feel confident that Usagi would now be having a bigger role in his life? He didn't know but maybe he would by the end of her letter.

She told him that she just now had the time and inclination to really think about why they always argued, yelled at, insulted, and teased each other. He could sense the shyness in her words as she considered that she might have acted that way because her mind hadn't wanted to see the attraction she had toward him, and that over time it had just become a habit every time she saw him.

_Odango's attracted to me._ he thought with a small surprised smirk. He would definitely let her know how he felt about that, and that the feeling was most definitely mutual.

**Then I woke up to find a beautiful red rose and a letter. I'm not sure I want to admit this, but the things you wrote made me cry. Well I guess it's okay to admit that since you did the same. Anyway, those words went straight to my heart. I never knew how much Tuxedo Kamen understood me…how much ****you****understand me. You seem to understand me more then the girls who're supposed to be my best friends.**

This was something else that Mamoru didn't know how to feel about. Her friends should understand her better then the guy who she always argued with. Even with his now knowing the other half of the story, he was still not able to understand why this was happening to her. Where was all the hostility coming from? Especially from Rei?

_At what point in their friendship did it change from playful teasing to verbal abuse?_ he wondered as he glanced up to Usagi to see her eyes closed and a dreamy expression on her face. _Maybe I should hurry up before she falls asleep._ he thought, but then noticed the blush on her cheeks and realized that maybe she was thinking instead of falling asleep.

His eyes once again landed on her blushing cheeks and he had the strongest urge to see if they were as soft as he remembered them to be.

_I need to finish reading… _his thought trailed off as he felt himself lifting his right arm. He watched as his fingers brushed across her left cheek, bringing her eyes slowly open.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't help it." he said softly as his fingers flattened out, allowing his palm to rest on her warm soft skin. At least he knew that her fever hadn't returned…and that her skin was as soft as he remembered.

…_a perfect black tux…that white mask framing deep ocean blue eyes…jet black hair that draws attention to those…those mysterious eyes. Those strong hands guiding me to a private seat…his handsome face getting closer and closer…and then…_ her point by point description cut off as she felt intensely warm, soft yet slightly hard skin sweep across her face. She opened her eyes slowly as if she had been waking from a dream, and listened to his words. They passed right over her. She didn't mind one bit and wanted to convey that to him.

Usagi hesitated only a moment before bringing her left hand up to cover his as she smiled softly. She was surprised at how easy it was to smile at him, how easy it was to show affection toward him, how easy it was turning out to like him. It was especially surprising to see how easy it seemed to be for Mamoru to show affection toward her. Maybe she would ask him when he was done reading.

…_and then soft lips were on mine…right?_ she continued her description with some confusion as she closed her eyes to try and picture her first and only kiss. But to her grief…she couldn't. Oh she remembered the fact that he had kissed her, she just couldn't remember what it had felt like. _Why? Why?? When did I forget?!_ she thought with a sad frown.

Mamoru returned Usagi's smile as a warm feeling flowed through his body at the feel of his hand sandwiched between the soft skin of her face and hand. However, the sight of the frown slowly forming on her face made his smile crumble. What happened? Why did she look sad all of a sudden?

"What's wrong?" he asked and watched as her eyes opened and showed the sadness on her face.

Usagi shook her head at his question, and was a little glad that she couldn't speak. What would she have said? "I'm sad because I can't remember what it felt like that time you kissed me at the Ball." Yeah right! She'd be completely embarrassed.

"Is it something I can fix?" she heard him ask and she blushed. It was definitely something he could fix, but she didn't want it to happen that way. _I'll have to write it down._ She thought as she looked away and nodded her head.

"Well tell me then," he said as he grabbed the notebook with his free hand and handed it to her. "and I'll take care of it. Whatever it is." he finished, mentally surprised at how adamant he was. _Wait. What if she __**thinks **__I can fix it but I really can't?_ he questioned himself uncertainly right before a sense of calm assurance swept over his mind.

Usagi accepted the notebook, grabbed her pen from her nightstand, and reluctantly removed her hand from his and began to turn back to where she had last written to her father and began to write.

**It's something you can fix but not right now.** she wrote and paused as she wondered if she should give him a little more explanation. **It should come naturally.** she added and nearly groaned at the fact that it didn't sound like an explanation at all. Maybe she was too tired to write her thoughts tonight.

Mamoru held back a sigh as he removed his hand from Usagi's soft skin and watched her write. He wondered briefly why she had paused but she started writing again so he dropped the thought. When she finished he read her words and frowned in confusion.

"**It should come naturally."** he read her words out loud. "Naturally…like in time?" he asked as he looked to her. "Like it'll happen on its own?" he continued and watched as she nodded her head. "So I'll be fixing it without even knowing it…well unless you see fit to inform me?" he asked again and watched as she nodded her head. "_Will _you tell me?" he asked more quietly then before and watched as she blushed and looked away. _Well it's something that's got her embarrassed and shy. Something that involves me._ he considered as he waited to see if she would answer. _Why do I feel like it's obvious what it is I'm supposed to fix?_ he wondered as he watched her eyes move back to his before she nodded a firm nod. "Okay then." he said as he picked up the notebook and began to flip back to where he had left off reading. "I wonder if I'll fix it soon." he thought out loud before getting back into her letter.

**It was a real insight into what Tuxedo Kamen is always thinking. I admit to wondering often what you thought during the fights and battles, and I never could guess. I especially wouldn't have guessed that you liked me. You seemed to hide it well. I was afraid that I had developed feelings for a guy who only saw me in a kind of working relationship.**

_Working relationship?! Is that what she saw during our interactions?_ he wondered with a troubled frown. _I suppose that's my fault if I came off that way. Trying to get the rainbow crystals, trying to figure out who I really am, trying to find the silver crystal, trying to help and find out who that mysterious princess is in my dreams. It's all so much to deal with. Add fighting the negaverse and trying to keep on track with my studies so I can become a doctor on top of all that, and you get a distant, reluctant, cold masked hero I suppose._ he thought bitterly. _I didn't ask for any of this! I didn't ask to be forced into fighting and having an unexplainable dream about some princess._ he thought angrily. _I didn't ask for a lot of the madness that was thrown into my life._ he thought with a weary sigh before continuing with Usagi's letter, and wondering if he would have still met her if there were no hardships in his life.

**But to know for sure in your own words what you felt for me was the best thing ever. It was the best thing until I reminded myself that I liked the other you. The everyday you. Mamoru.** he read and continued on as she described how she wondered what she was going to do about liking two guys, and how she realized that she didn't have to do anything because she still hadn't know who Tuxedo Kamen was and thought that Mamoru wouldn't feel anything for her. That he was just being nice to her because she was sick.

_Just because she was sick. Does she still feel that way? Even after I explained my feelings earlier? I hope not, but if she does I'll have to make sure she learns otherwise._ he thought before continuing his reading.

**Of course then you came along and revealed to me that it was your letter. My mind went blank at first and then I was a bit worried that I might have let something slip to have you figure out that I was Sailor Moon.**

Mamoru frowned at her use of past tense in referring to herself as Sailor Moon, and wondered if he could maybe talk her into changing her mind about that. Get her to resume her secret identity.

_But first we'll have to see if we can fix the rift between her and her friends. _he thought with a mental sigh as he continued reading.

**I was relieved and happy to know that it was the locket that gave me away. I cherish that locket. Opened it and listened to its melody when I couldn't stop thinking about you or when I was sad. I'm glad to know that you didn't forget about it after giving it to me. ****Because**** you didn't forget I had no doubts that you were really Tuxedo Kamen since I hadn't told the girls about the locket. The only ones to actually see it were my mom and Naru. My mom only saw it recently, the day I decided to make my little personality change, while I was doing my homework since I had a headache at the time. And Naru only saw it once, right after I got it since I had been spending the day with her before the fight started. I couldn't resist listening to it and she obviously noticed.**

_Naru. Naru._ The name passed through his mind as he tried to put a face to the name. Short red curly hair, around the same height as Usagi, mom owns a jewelry store. A face and facts came to his mind as he began to remember the girl. _Wasn't she Usagi's best friend before the girls came along?_ He wondered with a slight frown. _I remember she was still around when Ami came along, but then there was less and less of her after Rei showed up._ He thought as he looked over to Usagi to find her blinking up at the ceiling.

_I can understand why Naru might have gotten pushed aside. She couldn't let her friend find out about her secret…secret…_ his thought trailed off as he remembered seeing Naru at some of the fight scenes with Nephlite. He hadn't been sure what was going on but he remembered that Sailor Moon and Usagi had been anxious most of the time Nephlite was around attacking. _I guess I give her a comforting feeling even when I'm not around._ he thought as he continued on to read the last of her letter.

**I guess what all this comes down to is that I like you. I ****really****like you. When I add up the feelings that I have for Tuxedo Kamen and for you…well I'm not really sure what it adds up to, but I know that it's something intense…something special.**

**I guess I was right about you finding the right person to make you laugh and have fun.**

A smile spread across Mamoru's face as he read the last line she wrote. He was insanely happy at the moment. More happy then he thought he would be after finishing her letter.

"**I guess I was right about you finding the right person to make you laugh and have fun."** he read her words quietly to her and watched as she looked to him with a shy tired smile. "Does that mean you're agreeing to be my girlfriend?" he asked in a quiet uncertain tone as he flipped back to the last place she had written.

Usagi went completely still at Mamoru's words. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Mamoru was asking her…_**her **_to be his girlfriend. She would have never guessed that this would happen to her. She would have told anyone that they were crazy if they had told her this would someday happen to her.

_This is hard to believe but it's also thrilling. No one's ever asked me to be their girlfriend before._ she thought as she sat up and accepted the notebook from Mamoru. She was not going to count the numerous attempts from Umino. He couldn't possibly like her as much as he thought he did. Especially since he didn't really know her.

**Does that mean you're asking?** she wrote with a blush and handed him the notebook as she looked at him from underneath her eyelashes.

"It does." he answered firmly as he pushed the notebook back toward her.

**Then I guess I'm agreeing.** she wrote, her blush darkening as she smiled shyly while pushing the notebook back toward him, but she suddenly paused, her smile fading as a thought came to her. She quickly pulled the notebook back and began to write again. **But what about Rei? Aren't you two kind of dating?**

Mamoru had been able to make out the first three words she had written before she pulled the notebook away and began to add to her response. He looked to her face as she wrote and wondered what thought had come to replace her smile with such an uncertain look. He almost didn't want to read her words with the look on her face but he forced himself to. He smiled, feeling relieved and elated that she had agreed to be his girlfriend, but it dimmed as he read her added words. He sighed long and warily before handing the notebook back and answering.

"I don't know what she's been telling people, but we are _**not**_ dating." he said in a very serious tone, wanting to make sure she believed him. "I went on a few dates with her in the hopes that she would see that we had nothing in common. I thought it would be better if she came to that conclusion on her own instead if me telling her out right that I wasn't interested." he said with a sigh as he rubbed his eyes tiredly, then looked back up to her. "You know how I am. It would have come out bad and her feelings would have been hurt." he finished.

Usagi nodded her head in understanding as she slipped another cough drop in her mouth. Her feelings had sometimes been hurt in the course of their arguing, and she had seen the result of him turning down girls before. She and Rei were having issues but that didn't mean she wanted to see her running away from Mamoru in tears.

**I understand and it's okay. It's just that Rei had made it clear to anyone who would listen that she considered you her boyfriend, and that if you weren't then you would be soon.** she wrote and handed him the notebook so he could read it.

"I can't believe her." he said with a sigh as he replaced the notebook in her lap. He was not happy about what he had just learned. He couldn't understand Rei. Why would she think that just because they had gone out to eat a few times and gone to the museum and movies, that that would make them an item? He had been on dates with other girls and they hadn't immediately jumped to the conclusion that they were dating.

"I don't know why she's acting this way but I'll take care of it." he promised her. "I'll try and make it right, but tonight I'm going to be happy with the fact that you are now mine and that I am now taken." he said with a smile. "That I am now yours." he added softly.

Usagi smiled widely and wrote that she felt the same, and shyly added that no one had claimed her like that before and that if she wasn't so tired she would write down everything she was feeling so he could know.

"That's okay. I know enough to keep me smiling all night." he said as he took in her tired eyes. "We'll have plenty of time to let each other know what we're feeling tomorrow, but right now we both need to get some sleep. You especially." he said as he got to his feet and moved to put the dark covering back up over her balcony windows so the light wouldn't hurt her eyes the next day.

While Mamoru was busy doing that Usagi took the opportunity to take her cold medicine and close the notebook.

"Okay. How's that?" he asked as he turned back to Usagi. She gave him a thumbs up and he chuckled quietly as he knelt down next to her bed. "I guess I should go now. You sleep well okay." he said and watched as she nodded. "Maybe I'll even see you walking around tomorrow…or maybe even hear your voice." he said hopefully and watched as she shrugged with a soft smile. "Goodnight Usagi." he said as he kissed her on the cheek, this one more slow then the last one. "I'll see you tomorrow." he said as he got to his feet and stepped over to her balcony.

As Mamoru carefully pulled the cover and curtain aside he opened the doors slowly not really wanting to leave. He took one last look at his girlfriend and watched as she slowly waved to him. He smiled and then stepped out into the night air, making sure to close her doors securely behind him. He then slipped into his shoes and began to make his way home. He wanted to stay long enough to make sure she turned her light off, but he had really done a good job putting her covering back up to block out the light, so off he went.

Usagi stared at her balcony for a long moment before she sighed and moved her notebook and pen to her nightstand. She then grabbed a handful of cough drops from her large bag and placed them under her pillow, but off to the side so they wouldn't melt during the night and put the bag in her nightstand with the roses and letter from Mamoru.

Seeing his letter made her realize that she had forgotten to give him his, so she went through the process of removing the pages of his letter and folded them neatly into a pretty origami heart. When she had the paper heart put away she ripped out the pages of her earlier writing, ripped up the ones that mentioned her being Sailor Moon and threw them away.

Her medicine was already taking effect, no doubt helped along by her fatigue, so she moved her star locket under her pillow and turned off her light before lying down. As she lay there, her body heavy and her mind foggy with the coming sleep, she wondered what it was going to be like dating Mamoru. She couldn't imagine it but as she succumbed to slumber she knew that she would like it.

* * *

_Serenity walked down the long bright marble hallway, her heels clicking and her white gown flowing slightly behind her, as Sailor Jupiter walked at her side. Her lightening and thunder guard had come to escort her to her mother who waited for her in the Queens private anteroom._

_She had asked Jupiter, in as many ways as she could think of, what her mother wanted since she had told her earlier in the day that she would not see her the rest of the day. But Jupiter simply laughed and refused to say a word every time._

_When they reached the anteroom Sailor Jupiter announced their arrival and moments later listened to the soft voice of the Queen as she asked them in. Once inside Serenity greeted her mother and sat on the couch across from her while Jupiter stood next to her._

"_You have a guest that has come a long way who is waiting for you at this very moment Serenity. Allow Jupiter here to escort you. I would like for you to forget your studies and enjoy yourself today." the Queen said with a gentle smile._

_Serenity found this situation odd. Her mother seemed extremely happy for reasons she could not fathom, and she was actually allowing her to take time off from her studies. And who could this mystery person be? This __**guest**__ that she was supposed to have fun with? She hadn't been expecting a visit from anyone and wondered if she would really be able to enjoy the rest of her day._

_She did not wish to upset her mother so she walked along side Sailor Jupiter as they made their way to the Palace's front doors. However, she was halted in her progress as Jupiter came to a stop outside the doors._

"_Your guest is waiting there." Sailor Jupiter said as she pointed toward the garden entrance. "I will watch you from here until you meet with them."_

"_You are not coming with me? What if I do not like this person?" she asked with a sad frown._

"_You will be fine Princess." Jupiter assured her. "The Queen did not seem bothered by your guest or think that you needed your guards."_

_Serenity responded with a sigh and began to walk toward the garden. When she reached the entrance she was startled to see Prince Endymion step out. She froze in shock and surprise and then jumped into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as she breathed in his earthy scent._

"_Well hello to you too my Princess." Endymion said with a quiet laugh._

"_Endymion. I missed you." she whispered as she savored the feel of his strong warm arms around her. "I did not expect to see you today." she added._

"_I did not expect to visit today, but I was informed that something I wanted to show you was ready." he said as he reluctantly lowered her to her feet._

"_Mother said you came a long way. Were you not at home?" she asked as she rested her hands on his chest._

"_No. I was on Mercury with my mother visiting the Queen." he answered. "I had asked to be informed, no matter what I was doing, when my surprise for you was ready, and I came right away so I could show you." he explained._

"_And do I get to see this surprise now?" she asked._

_Endymion pulled out a thin strip of black silk fabric._

"_Yes but you can not see it until I am ready to show you." he answered and laughed at her pout. "Come now. Close your eyes Princess."_

_Serenity did as instructed and felt the silk cover her eyes and the slight pressure as he tied it behind her head._

"_Let me lead you." she heard him whisper close to her ear and shivered as his breath flowed into her ear._

_As he took her hand she squeezed his and moved forward as he began to lead her. They walked in silence. Endymion leading the way and Serenity trusting him to keep her on her feet. After a few turns they finally stopped and she felt Endymion release her hand and move behind her. The silk slipped away and she slowly opened her eyes to see a small beautiful sea of red._

_Serenity stepped forward as she looked around in stunned surprise. She could hardly believe what she was seeing. All those roses in perfect bloom were amazing, and the soothing fragrance was incredible. She knew that this breed of flower didn't grow on the Moon, so it was very clear that the quiet Erath Prince behind her had brought them for her._

'_I remember not being allowed to come to this part of the garden. I figured Jupiter was growing something she did not want me to disturb. How wrong was I.' she thought as she turned around to look at her Prince with tears in her eyes._

"_All for you." Endymion said softly as he stepped forward. "You loved them so much when you saw them that I knew you had to have them or you would miss them." he added and went on to explain how he asked Sailor Jupiter to help him and keep watch over them when he could not._

_Serenity let her tears flow as she turned back to the roses. He had brought seeds from Earth and had them grown here so she would be able to enjoy the roses that were so beautiful and so much a part of him. It was so much. She sank to her knees, her feelings too overwhelming for her._

_Endymion knelt in front of her and wiped away her tears before skillfully picking one of the roses and handing it to her._

"_I have been carrying some things around. Waiting for the opportunity…the right moment." he said as he pulled a small rectangular box from his pants pocket._

_Serenity gasped as she saw what the box contained. A beautiful gold bracelet in the design of roses linked together resting against a black background. Everything was gold from the stems, to the very detailed leaves, to the blossoms themselves._

_She placed a hand delicately to cover her mouth as she began to get an understanding of where this might be going with his surprise, the gift, and his words._

"_I was going to get a ring but I knew you would not be able to wear it without question," he said as he removed the bracelet and wrapped it around her right wrist. "so I hope this will do for the time being." he finished as he connected the ends and kissed the inside of her wrist. "Will you do me the great honor of accepting my hand in marriage?" he asked softly as he gazed into her watery eyes._

_All Serenity could do at the moment was cry as his words rang through her mind. She had begun to suspect his proposal but it was still unexpected. Oh she loved him and she knew that he loved her, but with the unease between their planets she hadn't expected for him to ask for quite some time._

_She nodded her head slowly as she lowered her hand to reveal her happy smile._

"_Yes I will." she answered happily as she leaned forward to wrap her arms around his neck in a gentle hug. She smiled wider, loving the feel of his arms hugging her back, the feel of his fingers slowly trailing up and down her bare back as well._

"_It is beautiful. Thank you so much." she said as she took a closer look at the bracelet after moving back to her original position._

"_I am glad you like it since that hopefully means you might like this as well." he said as he pulled out a small square box._

"_A locket." Serenity breathed as he revealed a gold pendant with a clasp on the side to open it. On the front sat a single green stem red rose. She lifted it from its casing and opened it to find a picture of Endymion and an inscription._

_**I'll love you forever.  
**__**Endymion**_

"_It matches the bracelet. I did not think you would be able to wear them both at the same time, but I wanted you to have them both anyway." he said quietly._

"_I love it. Just as I love you." she said with as much love as she was capable of showing before kissing her fiancée with as much passion as she dared._

* * *

Usagi woke, her eyes opening slowly, tears immediately beginning their flow. She stayed still as her mind cleared the sleep away. Her eyes blinking fresh tears down the sides of her face as she made sure she was not imagining the fact that she remembered the dream.

She remembered almost every detail from when the beautiful girl met Endymion at the garden, but nothing before it. She wasn't complaining though; it was much more then what she remembered from the other dreams she had had.

Usagi rolled onto her side as she thought about the dream. She hadn't looked at her clock and the sunlight peeking through the sides of the covering on her balcony windows escaped her notice, so the thought of what time it was hadn't even entered her mind.

_She looked like me…only different. Older…more mature, and the guy. Endymion._ she squeezed her eyes shut tight at the pain and joy that flowed through her at the mere thought of that man's name.

Those emotions. The sense of familiarity. Where were they coming from? Did she know him? She couldn't though. She had never met him, but then why was he familiar to her?

_And __**why **__in the world does he look like Mamoru?!_ she thought before she suddenly heard a knock on her door. She quickly freed one of her hands from her covers to wipe the tears from her face and eyes. She didn't know who it was but she definitely didn't want them to see her crying.

****

~Makoto~

Makoto lay in her bed gazing at her blank ceiling as shadows play across it from the light coming through her window. She would have normally been asleep at this time of night, especially with how tired she was because of he fight at the park but she just couldn't sleep. There was too much on her mind and yet she could barely make sense of it.

_I'll cook. That usually helps me think. Well…that and fighting, but I can't just go out and start a fight can I?_ she thought as she pushed her covers back, rolled to her feet, and headed to her kitchen.

She turned on the light and began to pull out different ingredients from her refrigerator and cabinets, not really paying attention since she didn't have to. She knew her way around a kitchen, especially _her _kitchen, better then she knew anything else.

As Makoto went about mixing her ingredients together her thoughts began to focus and center around the attack at the park but Tuxedo Kamen's words in particular.

She knew he was right. They needed Sailor Moon to change youma's back into humans when the rainbow crystals were removed, and she also knew that they couldn't continue to try and destroy the other type of youma on their own. A few more fights and they would end up wearing themselves out. They would be too tired for school or anything else for that matter. And worse…people would notice. Questions would be asked and then they'd be in serious trouble.

_I'm an okay liar, but this would require way too much. We need to make things right with Usagi first before anything else can be done._ she thought as she remembered what Ami had told her of her conversation with their estranged friend.

Usagi had wanted them to know that she was as smart as the rest of them and could do the work if she wanted to, that she could be on time for school and therefore, any other place she had to be.

Makoto had realized it and had also noticed that she was no longer a klutz and wasn't loud or eating all the time. She had even stopped arguing with Mamoru…at least as far as she could tell anyway since she had only seen them together one time.

Something was very wrong when Mamoru of all people started getting along with Usagi when her friends weren't. Usagi was right. They had hurt her and _had _been hurting her for a while now.

Makoto had considered Usagi her best friend but she was beginning to understand just how much she hadn't been returning that favor to her. She really hadn't minded her lack of studying and her klutzy moments. After all, you couldn't very well control if you were a klutz or not, even though it seemed that Usagi could. She also enjoyed her zeal for eating and was actually glad she had someone to cook for besides herself. The other girls enjoyed her food, she knew this, but not the way Usagi did.

And she certainly hadn't forgotten that Usagi hadn't cared that she had a reputation for fighting when she first met her.

_She hadn't been scared or cautious either. She was her sweet-self and I really liked that about her._ she thought with a tired sigh. _When did I start judging her for all those things instead of accepting them like I use to?_ she wondered with a sad sigh as she looked down, and was only slightly surprised that she had cooked herself a snack. Hot pancakes and French toast lay awaiting her fork and knife. It looked and smelled good, and she hoped that it would help her sleep when her mind had quieted.

Makoto hadn't been much of a friend, let alone a best friend, to Usagi, and it was no wonder she was starting to feel like she didn't know her anymore. She had completely lost touch with her. They didn't even go boy hunting anymore! Usagi had stopped talking to her about boys in general for that matter. And then there was all the differences she was seeing in her these last few days.

Usagi's disappearance from school was another concern that had been eating at her. She hadn't looked so good that morning, and had hoped that nothing was seriously wrong with her. She remembered how hysterical Ami had become when she realized that Usagi had hit her head twice in one night.

Makoto hadn't been thrilled by that knowledge either and dearly hoped that her disappearance had nothing to do with it.

She needed to find out though. She needed to talk to Usagi and apologize for being such a crappy friend.

_Why didn't I stand up for her at that meeting?! I had assured her that I would tell Rei that she would be late, and I let her down. I didn't tell Rei._ she thought in frustration as she speared a piece of pancake. _I admit that I had forgotten to tell Rei, but it had come back to me when the conversation turned to Usagi as a leader and senshi. I should have said something then._ she scolded herself as she looked to a picture on her wall that showed her on a bright day with Usagi hugging her from her left side with a bright smile.

Looking at that picture reminded her that Usagi didn't look like a fighter. She knew from her first day as a senshi that Usagi was no fighter. She just wasn't good at it like the rest of them were, and she definitely didn't have the personality for it. There had even come a time where she had wondered if Tuxedo Kamen was only helping them because he was there to specifically keep Usagi alive.

_He __**did **__say that there was something pushing him to do it; some instinct inside him._ she considered as she remembered that even with knowing that Usagi wasn't a fighter she had tried to help her.

She had gone so far as to train privately with Usagi so that she wouldn't have to deal with Rei's remarks and Ami's over concerns. And it had worked. Usagi had improved a great deal but she still wasn't up to their level. She had often found herself wondering how Usagi had functioned as a senshi when she was alone before Ami came along.

Still, Makoto knew that she must have been able to handle herself since she was still around to welcome Ami into the fold.

Makoto heaved a long sigh before she finished her food, cleaned up, and went back to her bed to get some sleep. She would need all her rest if she was going to try and talk to Usagi tomorrow.

****

~Ami~

Ami sat tiredly at the desk in her bedroom in her pajamas, her computer on and her books open. She should have been sleeping after the fight they had just been through, but she needed to study and her mind was too active to sleep anyway.

She also thought best while she was studying; so here she was at such an early hour typing notes and reading while thoughts of Usagi, the fight, Rei wanting to replace Usagi as leader, and Tuxedo Kamen's words flittered through her mind. She wondered how things had gone so wrong. It seemed just a few weeks ago that they were all having fun and getting along great. When did that change?

Ami prided herself with being the smartest of the group, even though with Usagi's recent display she was re-evaluating that assumption, yet she wasn't smart enough to see what was happening. She hadn't known that she was alienating and pushing Usagi away.

She had become too obsessed about their studies. She wanted her friends to keep up with them even though they were out fighting youma's, but it was now clear that she had been pushing too hard. They didn't like to study like she did. She could see the annoyance and pained expressions on their faces, but over time they had started in on Usagi about her lack of studying and she eventually convinced herself that all their grievances were for Usagi alone.

She couldn't even remember how many times Usagi had tried to get her to loosen up and take some time off from studying. She had never once forced her to stop studying or tell her to stop altogether…just asked and prompted her to take breaks. _She_ on the other hand had refused to do anything at certain times when Usagi wouldn't study.

How did that happen? At first she had been too shy to try and get her to study, and then Usagi would, on occasion, do exactly that. There were lots of comic books and eating during those times but she had put them down and picked up the books for at least a little while.

However, things began to change as their group got bigger. She couldn't explain why but they did and she seemed to become more critical of everything Usagi did. And that was just in their everyday life. Their senshi life was even worse.

Usagi had been a senshi longer then all of them but she didn't seem to improve over time. She was always crying, running, and falling down. Ami just couldn't understand how she survived to bring her into the group as Sailor Mercury.

_Maybe Usagi just isn't a fighter like the rest of us._ she considered while putting aside the fact that she had now accepted herself as a fighter. _I've seen how much she's worked during the training sessions we've had but it hasn't been enough to improve her skill. And it didn't help that Rei always had something to complain about. Either she wasn't hitting hard enough or moving fast enough. She wasn't positioned right or standing in the right place._

It was so frustrating but she now realized that she and Makoto had joined in on those criticisms. Even going so far as to make sure she was aware of them during fights.

How could they have done that? How could they have turned on her in such a way when she had been trying so hard? Had they destroyed her self esteem as a senshi?!

It was a disturbing thought; to know that she might have had a hand in that.

_Tuxedo Kamen didn't seem…__**doesn't **__seem to have a problem with her abilities. He even seems to like saving her, and he was angry that the enemy uses her weaknesses against her. Was that it?_ she wondered with frown.

Were Usagi's fighting abilities a weakness? Was her role on the team to encourage them and wait until it was time for her to destroy the enemy or heal them? But that couldn't be it because her tiara was used for fighting as well as destroying, and she was good at using it! She remembered that Sailor Moon's aim was always perfect. And with her being the only one to be able to heal them and destroy them, _alone_, made her the most powerful of them all. Maybe that was why Luna insisted on her being leader.

Ami sighed as she put a book down and picked up her Mercury computer, which was resting on top of a pile of books, and began to type rapidly into it. Inputting calculations to make sure her hypothesis about Usagi being the strongest was true.

As she typed, Usagi's words from their short conversation in class came back to her.

"_You know…it hurt a lot to know that my friends cared more about my grades then they did about me. You all only cared enough to criticize but never to ask why…"_

Ami slowly stopped typing as she went over those words again, and she had been right in her thoughts the first time she had heard Usagi speak those words. She _had_ only cared enough to criticize and it had never, never occurred to her to ask why. She had just thought she was being lazy and didn't want to take the time to properly learn the material.

She should have known that there was more to it. She should have asked or not complained at all like she did with Makoto. Ami knew that the kind of fighting Makoto was rumored to have done or participated in was the bad kind, but she had never complained about it or asked. She had felt it was Makoto's business and she would share it if she wanted to.

_I hadn't done that with Usagi but at least I had been right to defend her after she had quit. There __**had**__ been a good reason, but Usagi hadn't felt the need to share it since we apparently wouldn't have understood._ she thought with a sigh.

Ami respected that, especially since she probably really wouldn't have understood. More importantly, it was more than clear now that she hadn't earned the right to know what that reason was. Usagi had been her first real friend and she had thrown that friendship back in her face, even without knowing it, because she had two others she could call friend. And because she was Sailor Mercury. Someone important. Someone who could make a difference.

She had lost sight of what was really important. She needed to remind herself that had Usagi not done her job as Sailor Moon she wouldn't have lived long enough to learn that she was a senshi.

Ami felt the grievous tears trickling down her face as she placed her Mercury computer back on top of her pile of books and began to scroll through the notes she had typed on her desktop PC.

What kind of friend had she been to Usagi?! She hadn't even known that she was hurt the day after the fight at the temple. _Too caught up in my criticism and disappointment to notice._ she thought bitterly with a sniffle. She had to find out from Mamoru of all people! She hadn't thought they were friends, hadn't thought that he would care enough to realize she was hurt. She had thought they were acquaintances only; simply an annoyance to each other. That their run ins at the arcade were their only way to express that.

_But maybe I was wrong. Usagi has known him since before she met me, so maybe they're friends and this is their way of showing it._ she considered as she remembered the way they had looked together when she and the girls had walked into the arcade a few days ago. _Maybe they secretly like each other and don't want anyone to know about it. That could be why they act that way toward each other. To make sure no one becomes suspicious._ she reasoned.

She wasn't sure but it was possible, especially with the new things Usagi had been showing them. The fact that she wasn't speaking to any of them could have pushed her to try and act nice to him. To try and lay off the arguing for a while.

_But what about Tuxedo Kamen?_ she thought with a frown. It was well known to them how much she liked him, and now it was clear that he returned those feelings. But they didn't know each others real identities and with Usagi leaving the group it was possible that they would never see each other again.

Whatever the situation was with Usagi and Mamoru, Ami was just glad that she wasn't alone. That she was at least talking to someone. Although, she was sure that Rei didn't like it. In fact, she was positive that Rei didn't like them doing anything other then arguing and seemingly not getting along.

In her opinion Rei needed a wake up call. It was time for her to see what was happening with Usagi and realize that she had been wrong about her. She still couldn't believe that she wanted to have Usagi replaced as the leader and even to have someone else brought in to be Sailor Moon. The fact that Rei saw herself as taking the position of leader was crazy.

Ami needed to make it absolutely clear to her that _**they were **_the Senshi and having one of them replaced was not an option in any way shape or form. That doing so would only reveal their identities and put them in danger.

They needed to talk and work things out. They needed to talk to Usagi, but first they needed to find her. She hadn't been in school that day and Ami was worried it might be because of her head injuries.

_I certainly hope not._ she thought as she rubbed her eyes and face tiredly before picking up another book.

It was a long night for Ami. She was only able to get to sleep after forcing her mind to stop thinking about the situation with her friends, and concentrate on her studies so it would help distract her mind as she tried to sleep.

****

~Rei~

Hot. Heat. Warmth. Red, orange, and yellow flicks of fire weaved to and fro before Rei's still body as she tried to meditate. Both her body and her mind were tired, and she hoped that the great fire would aid her.

Tonight's fight was so intense. She had no idea it was so hard to fight in sand, and it didn't help that her fire would turn some of it into glass. So not only was it unstable, but it was slippery as well. She was surprised she hadn't broken an ankle!

Rei had reluctantly been grateful for Tuxedo Kamen's appearance, but immediately irritated when he began to ask about Sailor Moon.

_With him it's either hunting after the rainbow crystals or saving Usagi, and she's dense enough to think that her crush would become something more._ she thought as she mentally rolled her eyes. _He's probably just been using her to get to the crystals._ she thought suspiciously.

Still, even though she didn't believe anything would become of Usagi's childish crush on Tuxedo Kamen and that he wasn't trustworthy, she reluctantly agreed with his logic on the fact that they would need Sailor Moon to change youma's back into humans, but she firmly believed that they could handle the others. Their strength was growing everyday. It would eventually get easy.

_Maybe Usagi could just be on call like some workers are. We could call her when we need to change a youma back into a human and then she could go back to her food and comic books. Although, I'm sure she'll be late for those calls too._ she thought in irritation. _Tuxedo Kamen and his speeches._ her irritation increasing.

He was good at that. Able to draw people in with that deep, soothing, almost seductive voice and his conviction. But no matter what he said, she knew that things with Usagi wouldn't change. She was always lazy, late, and a klutz.

_And even with all that she __**still **__gets all the attention!_ she thought hatefully. _Tuxedo Kamen always saving her and wanting us to get her back, Luna making her leader when she wasn't even fit to lead herself, Ami and Makoto defending her because she did some crying and because they can't escape her at school, and Mamoru always showing her attention when he should be focused on __**me **__instead!_ she fumed.

It was always about her! Everything was always Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon. Usagi, Usagi, Usagi! And it irritated her to _no _end.

Of course she had been shocked when Usagi quit the team, but she was immediately happy after it had sunk in. It was perfect. A blessing in disguise. No more having to worry about saving her or if she would get to a fight in time to help and destroy a youma. No more worrying about her klutzing out in the middle of an attack. And best of all, she could replace her as leader.

Yeah she had said they could pick among themselves, but she knew that neither Ami nor Makoto had the temperament for the position. She on the other hand was perfect for the role, especially since she had basically been leading the group since becoming Sailor Mars.

Seeing herself as leader already meant that she definitely wasn't happy when Makoto and Ami immediately started to defend Usagi. Why would someone want to pretend not to take things seriously when they knew they should? It didn't make sense and she didn't think Usagi had any real reason for it.

_All this madness about her finishing tests before Ami and having done her homework is insane. It must have been a fluke on Usagi's part._ she thought with a slight shake of her head.

That thought reminded her of what she had seen before their crazy talk. The sight of Usagi sitting with _her _Mamoru, too close for _her _comfort, looking like they were made for each other. She had been so furious that it was all she could do to calmly walk toward them and call out his name.

_Any closer and they would have been kissing!_ she thought, her anger from that day coming back almost in full force.

Was that what she had interrupted? But no. Mamoru didn't like Usagi. Their daily arguments and all the yelling and insults proved that. And she was too hung up on Tuxedo Kamen to notice anyone as good looking as her Mamoru.

Rei didn't believe that Mamoru liked Usagi but his saying that she was injured had shocked and surprised her. She hadn't thought he would notice something like that. And she hadn't seen any bandages the last time she saw Usagi, since she hadn't cared to look then, so it couldn't have been as bad as Mamoru thought it was.

_Plus, she seemed to be okay enough to be snuggling up with my Mamoru, so she must have been okay._ she thought with an annoyed frown.

It wasn't enough that Usagi seemed to have Tuxedo Kamen's affection, but now it was looking like she wanted Mamoru's as well. She wasn't going to say anything about it though since it had been the first time she had seen them act civil toward each other. It _could _have been nothing.

She wasn't sure she believed that though.

And at least she wouldn't have to worry about Usagi getting close to Tuxedo Kamen anymore. It didn't matter that he appeared to return her feelings. He couldn't be trusted. He had half the rainbow crystals after all. Just because he stopped long enough to save her klutzy butt didn't mean anything.

Thinking about that caused her to remember the look in his eyes after Ami had relayed Usagi's words to him. There had been so many emotions flashing that she had been completely surprised by it. He was normally cold and aloft. Surely she had imagined it. She hadn't looked long enough after all, not wanting to show interest. That thought made her remember Amis angry words.

_**Have **__I stopped caring about Usagi's welfare?_ she wondered, silently asking the great fire. She didn't think so. She continued to save her lazy butt during fights after all! She didn't like it, was tired of having to do it all the time, but she did it anyway.

Did that mean when they found the Princess she would get tired of protecting her?

That thought was disturbing but she didn't think so. She only got tired of doing it with Usagi because she was supposed to be a warrior like the rest of them. She was supposed to be the protector not the protected. She believed in helping each other out of bad situations, but every single time was just too much. Especially since Usagi wasn't serious about her training.

So no. She would do her job with protecting the Princess when they found her and she wouldn't tire of it. Now what they needed was someone else on the team to pick up Usagi's slack. She didn't want her back on the team since she obviously couldn't do the job, but if they could limit her appearances to just healing the human's turned youma, then all they needed was another senshi.

_Maybe I'll bring that up the next time we have a meeting, but right now I'm going to go take a hot bath, relax, and get some sleep._

**Girls POV**

When Makoto woke up in the morning she immediately called Ami, and told her that she had been thinking a lot last night and that she thought it was time she tried to talk to Usagi. Ami agreed, saying she had had the same thought and believed they should get Rei in on it, but that they needed to find out where Usagi was first.

After they got off the phone Makoto took a quick shower, dressed, and headed straight for Ami's place. Once they were settled Ami called Usagi's house hoping to at least get an answer as to why she hadn't been in school and show that they were concerned.

"Oh. I thought all her friends knew since she had to leave school early." they heard Mrs. Tsukino's voice come through the receiver. Ami was holding the handset and Makoto was sitting next to her with her ear close to it. "Usagi is sick. She has a bad cold. She's been sleeping a lot, coughing a great deal, and hardly eating a thing." they heard her say with a sad sigh. "I'm sorry. I would go see if she's awake since you called to talk to her but she's lost her voice. Feel free to come visit her. I'm sure she would like that." she finished.

Ami asked when the best time of day would be for a visit and after wishing Usagi well and saying goodbye she hung up. They sat in silence for a few moments as they took in the fact that Usagi was sick. Her mother had just given them the reason why she had disappeared from school, and they realized at that moment why Mamoru had come to their class.

"I can't believe she's sick." Ami said in slight disbelief. She had known Usagi for months now and she had never been sick in all that time.

"I can't believe Mamoru knew this whole time." Makoto said in a surprised tone. "I wonder how he found out."

"Maybe they ran into each other after she left school." Ami suggested.

"Yeah maybe." Makoto considered. "Anyway, we need to let Rei know." she added as she picked up the phone and dialed her number.

Rei answered and she of course wanted to hang out at the arcade, so they decided to meet her half way there and just walk there together. After they met up they began to tell her about the call to Usagi's house and how they learned she was sick.

"We should go see her and see how she's doing." Ami said as they parted in their walking to give a couple room to pass by on the sidewalk.

"Why? I'm sure she's doing fine, and we don't want to get sick. What if we do and there's an attack? We won't be at hundred percent." Rei said as they walked.

"And besides, if I get sick Mamoru won't want to be around me, and I wouldn't want to get him sick and you guys know that I can't stay away from him." she added and began to tell them about her plan to get him on a date in the next day or two.

Ami and Makoto quickly discovered that Rei wasn't interested in anything they had to say about Usagi since she seemed to be too busy informing them about her plans with Mamoru. The two of them shared a look behind Rei's back, each coming to the conclusion not to tell her about Mamoru coming to their class and talking to their teacher.

Once at the arcade they went and sat at a both while Rei walked straight toward Mamoru. As she talked to him they took the chance to discuss what they should do about Rei and going to see Usagi.

They wanted to make sure she was okay but they weren't sure if they would be welcomed. Oh they were sure that Mrs. Tsukino would welcome them since she didn't sound like she knew that they were having problems with her daughter, but Usagi was an entirely different matter. She might not be able to speak but there were definitely ways to let someone know they were not welcome without speaking. Still, they needed to talk to her, to apologize, so maybe it would be okay.

"We'll go but we need to get Rei to come with us." Makoto said as she glanced over to where Rei sat talking to Mamoru. "She needs to talk to her as well, and at the very least listen to what we have to say." she finished as she wondered what Mamoru thought of whatever it was Rei was going on about. _From this angle he looks a bit like he's zoning out. And she doesn't seem to notice, or maybe she thinks that's how he looks when he's interested in something._ she thought with a weary crease in her brow. _And she honestly believes that he wants a relationship with her?_ her thoughts added on a sigh as she looked back to Ami.

"I agree, but the problem is, how do we convince her to come?" Ami said as she too looked over to Rei. "We could use what Tuxedo Kamen said." she said in a low voice as she looked back to Makoto. "She had seemed like she was listening to him as much as we were about us needing Usagi and how we wouldn't have been grouped together if we couldn't work together."

Makoto nodded as she thought back on the time since she had become a senshi. They had been doing fine as far as she was concerned until Rei started to change. She was always putting Usagi down and it seemed to get worse once Luna announced that she was making her leader. She realized that it had started as playful teasing but then it turned real and she couldn't understand why.

She confided this to Ami and in return Ami mentioned that she had realized that as well, and that at some point they had joined in on it, which was why they were in their current situation.

It was disturbing to realize just how much they had changed and for petty reasons at that. It wasn't as if they had changed for the better or had a good reason for it. No, they had become cruel in a particular way and saw themselves in a very unflattering light. They needed to fix their friendship before it became irreparable. It was hard to believe that could happen with how kind Usagi was but they had seen the result of their behavior, and if she was capable of giving them the silent treatment, avoiding them, and refusing an apology from one of them, then she was capable of ending their friendship.

They looked up when they heard Mamoru saying that Rei shouldn't neglect her friends as he left the arcade, and the moment she sat at the booth with them they began to try and convince her that they needed to make things right with Usagi and make sure she was doing okay.

Rei sighed in irritation at the topic turning to Usagi once again. She was already irritated that Mamoru hadn't really been paying attention to her and his abrupt departure hadn't helped at all. She really didn't want to go see Usagi. For one, she was still angry with her and two, she didn't want to get sick. Being sick would put a serious cramp in her style. She wouldn't be able to fight properly if they had to rush off to a fight and she'd have to deal with who knew how many days without getting close to Mamoru.

_I wouldn't want him to get sick after all, and definitely not because of me._ she thought as she idly wondered how Usagi had gotten sick. _Probably just not taking care of herself. Shouldn't expect it if she couldn't even protect herself from a youma._ she thought as she rolled her eyes.

But still, just last night she had been thinking of Usagi's roll in the group and, as small as it would be, she would need to be on good terms with them to actually want to come do her part.

"Fine fine. I'll go." she said with a sigh, but she wouldn't make any promises to apologize since she hadn't done anything wrong.

With that finally settled they made plans to meet up the next day and go to Usagi's house together. Then they spent the rest of the time hanging out trying to relax and have a little fun, but eventually cut it short in favor of getting some much needed rest since they were still tired from the actions and mental turmoil from the previous night.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru left Usagi's neighborhood quickly, not wanting to be seen leaving her house at such a late hour and having it reported to her parents. But once he was free he walked home slowly, just basking in his happiness.

"I have a girlfriend." he whispered with a quiet laugh.

He could hardly believe it. He had always been picky about girls who might get a spot in his life, and it was usually to turn them down and send them on their way. It didn't matter how good looking they were or how much they claimed to like him. He always felt that none of them were the right one to have around him as much as a girlfriend would be. Not to mention none of them knew a thing about him.

_They just liked the way I looked._ his thoughts grumbled as he walked along. He wasn't about to be some trophy boy for a conceited girl. Plus, he had never had time for girlfriend with his studies and plans to be a doctor. _I still don't have time._ he admitted, but he was in love with Usagi and she returned his feelings for the most part, so he was going to do his best to make time.

If this had been a week ago he would have said that Usagi was the last person that needed to constantly be around him with his plans for his future currently in the words, but now he knew her better…had a better understanding of her character. Even if at this very moment she decided to go back to her lazy, eating all the time, whinny, klutzy self- he knew that he would still want her around. That if he was studying and was at his apartment, she would find herself a spot and read her comic books or watch T.V. to keep herself occupied.

_She might even sleep!_ he thought with a chuckle. _Even better, she would eventually come distract me and make me take a break._ he thought with a smile before stopping in his tracks in surprise. He was shocked that he liked the thought of that. Mamoru could just imagine her pulling him away to eat or watch some anime with her.

It was crazy and he loved it!

Mamoru loved _her _and that was probably what made him like the thought of it all. He was confident that Usagi would know when he was doing something important and that he needed to be left alone. He even had some hope that she might be interested in some of his studies after witnessing this new side of her. That they might even get the chance to study together if she was up for it.

_I hope she'll be her complete self with me. It would be nice if she could be comfortable showing me all her sides._ he thought as he walked toward the entrance to his building. _I'd have to be willing to do the same though._ his thoughts added as he greeted the lobby security guard.

He took the elevator to his floor and walked the short distance to his apartment door. Once inside he slipped off his shoes, turned the lights on, and pulled his books from his subspace pocket before he forgot about them. He dressed in a simple pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt for bed, had a snack since he wasn't hungry enough for a real dinner, cut out the lights and made himself comfortable in bed.

_I __**still **__can't believe I have a girlfriend._ he thought with a happy sigh as he closed his eyes. He finally had someone he could spend time with for no other reason then that he just wanted to be in their presence. To look at them. To hold them. Someone he could call and talk to when he needed someone to talk to. Someone who knew and understood the one thing he could talk to no one else about.

That thought made him wonder if he should share his reason for why he wanted the rainbow crystals.

_**Need**__ them is more like it._ he thought with a sigh. He'd have to explain his reoccurring dream and his childhood accident to get his point across. Could he do that? If he could, would she understand? Would she accept it? Would she be angry? Would she think him crazy for believing in a dream?

_I don't know. She had seemed to be the only senshi to still trust me even though we're both after the crystals._ he thought as he turned on his right side. _I'll just sleep on it and see how I feel tomorrow._ he decided but that left his mind to wonder what to do about the situation with Rei. _Does she really see me as her boyfriend? Had those boring dates meant something to her, something special maybe? Had my attitude toward her __**really **__suggested that I was interested in something more then friendship?_

Mamoru sighed and rolled over on his other side as the questions came one after the other. He didn't know _what _to do about her. Should he…_could _he just come right out and say that he wasn't interested?

_Maybe I can say that I think the dates should stop since my feelings aren't in them._ he considered with a yawn. _That sounds reasonable and less hurtful to her. It's a start anyway._ he thought tiredly before his thoughts moved back to his Usagi. _I hope she's sleeping well. Maybe she'll even be feeling better tomorrow._ he hoped drowsily.

That thought brought up the memory of how he reacted to her sleep talking about that dream guy, but before he could put any real thoughts into it he was drifting off to sleep.

* * *

_Mamoru looked around in some confusion as he stood in the park. It was dark out, night time, and all the Senshi, including Sailor Moon, were scattered around. He looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing his familiar tuxedo and cape. When he looked back up Sailor Moon was walking toward him. The others tried to stop her, grabbing her arms and yelling, but it was clear that she was determined to get to him. When she reached him she stood there looking up to his face with a smile as she took one of his gloved hands into hers and began to lead him to the trees just behind him. He glanced back only to see the Senshi watching with disapproving and weary eyes._

_As he and Sailor Moon disappeared into the trees he watched as her appearance changed. Her hair pieces vanished and her signature hair style fell in waves down her back, her sailor suit dissolved into a pair of pajamas, and her red knee high boots were replaced with bare feet. No longer did Sailor Moon walk before him. It was now Usagi, her long hair brushing her ankles as she led him through the trees._

_He pulled his eyes away from her hair to look at their path and saw light shinning ahead. Suddenly Usagi stopped and turned back to him. She looked tired but content as she gazed up at him. He smiled and watched as she hesitantly lifted her hands to his face, and blinked as she removed his mask. He thought it was weird that he wasn't concerned that she had just done that out in the open but his smile remained._

"_There you are." she said softly with a smile that lit up her face. The fact that she wasn't supposed to be able to speak didn't even cross his mind as his smiled widened. "Please don't hide from me. It makes me sad." she added as she placed a hand over his heart._

_All he could do was nod his head even though he didn't understand why it made her sad. She knew who he was whether he wore the mask or not. The matter drifted from his mind as he watched her take a few steps back from him and glanced back toward the light before sighing and looking back to him._

"_We are lost." he heard her say and he blinked in confusion. What did she mean 'we'? "We need you. You're the only one who can help us." she said, and before he could respond she tuned and ran toward the light. Her speed a work of art he had only seen her produce when she was running late._

"_Wait!" he called as he began to run after her. "Where are you going?" he asked but received no answer. However, when she reached the light she stopped and turned to look back to him._

"_We are waiting." she said softly but her voice carried to his ears as he watched her turn and walk until the light swallowed her up._

_A feeling of unexplainable panic swept through Mamoru the moment she vanished from his sight, and he forced his long legs to move faster toward the light. When he burst through the trees and into the light he met a sight that he hadn't expected._

_The light wasn't from day light but from the familiar large tiles of a silver-white shiny marble path. He followed it to a courtyard with tall pillars, the same material as the tile, that lead up to an elegant balcony. He stood there for a moment looking up at the balcony, knowing where he was but not where Usagi was._

'_Was she even really here?' he wondered as he glanced around. 'No, that can't be right. She __**was **__here. Maybe she's with whoever else is lost. Maybe she's with the Princess.' he considered and just as he took a step toward the balcony, fog began to converge from all around him. The next moment he was hearing the, also familiar, voice of the Princess._

"_Please, you must find the silver crystal. Everything will be explained once you do."_

_Mamoru looked up, hoping this time he would be able to see her, but he had no such luck. He saw her beautiful white gown, her long silver gold hair, and if he squinted his eyes just right he could make out the tips of her fingers as she leaned slightly over the balcony. But no matter how much he squinted his eyes he couldn't make out her face._

_That bugged him insistently because he felt like he knew her, and that if he could just see her face then he would remember who she was._

"_Who are you?" he asked._

"_When you find the silver crystal you will know and understand." she answered and he took a step forward and tried again._

"_Please…" he began but she cut him off._

"_Find the silver crystal. It is the only way."_

_As the Princess' words faded away the fog began to thicken until he couldn't see her form anymore._

* * *

Mamoru woke up gasping, sitting up quickly as he tried to recover his breath. Dreams of the Princess always left him struggling for breath as if he had been exerting himself during the time it took for the fog to take over and his mind to wake up. But what helped him recover his breath faster was the remembrance of the mixture of Usagi being in the dream. It wasn't the first time he dreamt of people in his life before the Princess took control and brought him to the balcony.

That wasn't the problem. What was, was the reactions of the Senshi when she tried to get to him. Would that happen for real? When they found out that he was Tuxedo Kamen would they try to keep her from him? It was true that they weren't getting along now, but he firmly believed that that would change. How would things turn out then?

_I don't know but I do know that I don't plan on telling them I'm Tuxedo Kamen anytime soon._ he decided as he lay back down. That thought made him remember his consideration to tell Usagi why he was collecting the rainbow crystals, and after that dream he thought he should. _At least she'll know and we might even learn something from each other that will help us._ he thought with a sigh.

Mamoru finally came out of his thoughts enough to look at the time and saw that it was just after 6am. It was too early to go anywhere and there was only one place he wanted to be that day. He also knew that he was too tired and not in the mood to study, so he decided to lay there and try to get back to sleep.

He couldn't usually get back to sleep after dreams of the Princess. At least not right away, but at least he would be getting some kind of rest. Luckily for him he eventually drifted off to sleep and woke up a little after 11am from a dreamless sleep.

When he was completely woke he went about his usual routine of making his bed, showering, and getting dressed. Once he was done dressing he went and made himself something to eat while watching and listening to a medical documentary on T.V. When he finished eating he cleaned up, cut off the T.V., and left for Usagi's house.

40 minutes later…

Mamoru walked up to the Tsukino residence and looked up to his girlfriends window to see that the dark covering was still in place. That of course was no help in letting him know if she was awake or not or if her eyes were just still sensitive to light.

_Only one way to find out._ he thought with a sigh as he continued toward her front door. He hadn't driven his car, even though it would have gotten him there much faster, because he didn't want her father to know he was there if the man wasn't already home. _Maybe I'll ask Mrs. Tsukino if he's home._ he considered as he knocked on the door and tried not to think about what would happen if Mr. Tsukino answered instead.

Thankfully Mrs. Tsukino answered and greeted him with such a large welcoming smile that he found himself becoming shy and blushing for no reason at all.

"Come on in. Last time I checked Usagi was still asleep but that might have changed by now." Mrs. Tsukino said as she closed the door behind Mamoru.

"Okay." he said as he nodded his head and slipped out of his shoes. "Is Mr. Tsukino home?" he asked a little hesitantly. "Usagi told me that her father doesn't like guys being around her." he explained at her questioning look.

"Ahhh." she nodded her head in understanding. "He's not here. He went into the office early but he should be back in the next hour or two. Don't worry though; I'll keep Kenji away." she assured him with a soft knowing smile.

Mamoru thanked her, silently wondering how much she knew as he tried not to blush and headed up the stairs to Usagi's room. Once outside her door he knocked lightly and waited a few moments before opening the door to see her lying on her side facing toward the door and rubbing her eyes.

* * *

Usagi looked up to see Mamoru stepping in and closing the door. She smiled even though she knew he would ask about her tears. She just couldn't help it. She was happy to see him. Happy to see her boyfriend.

She still couldn't believe it. Mamoru was her boyfriend. Tuxedo Kamen was her boyfriend. How many times had she dreamed about _that _happening?!

Mamoru moved over to her bed and knelt in front of her as he pulled a perfect red rose from his subspace pocket. He placed the rose in her hand as it peaked out from her covers and kissed her lightly on her cheek. He smiled as her smile turned shy and her cheeks flushed.

_Better then tears._ he thought as he pulled some of her hair back from her face and hooked it behind her ear. _**Way **__better._ his thoughts whispered as her cheeks got even redder.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked and watched as she nodded. "That's good." he said as he shifted to sit on the floor so he was facing her. "So why the tears?"

Usagi placed the rose behind her ear, weaving it through the hair Mamoru had just placed there, grabbed her pen and notebook and scooted back away from the edge of her bed so she could use her mattress to write on without sitting up.

**It's because of the dream I just woke up from. It was like the other dreams that I can't usually remember, only this time I could remember some of it. I'll tell you about it later. So did ****you****sleep well?** she wrote and slid the notebook toward him.

"Okay. Well I wanted to tell you about my dream, so I'll to you then." he said as he placed her notebook back in front of her. "As for how I slept, well the dream woke me up early but I was able to get back to sleep quicker then I thought I would." he explained. "How are you feeling today?" he asked, having noticed the fact that she hadn't sat up after his arrival.

**I'm feeling weak. I don't even have the energy to sit up. My throat still hurts but not as much as it did yesterday thanks to you, and my head hurts a little but it's nothing I can't handle.** she wrote and once again slid the notebook to him.

"I'm sorry you're feeling this way." he said quietly when he finished reading. "I wish there was something I could do." he added as he put her notebook back in front of her.

**You're here keeping me company. That's enough for me.** she wrote and began to push the notebook toward him but remembered something from last night. **Before I forget, I wanted to give you your letter. I forgot last night with all the excitement and with how tired I was. But I want you to have it because it's from me and just in case you want to read it again or something.** she added and pushed the notebook toward him and rolled over onto her other side, careful of the rose in her hair, and took out the paper heart from her nightstand and handed it to him a little shyly as she rolled back toward him.

"Thank you." he said as he accepted his letter turned heart and slipped it in his pants pocket. "I'll definitely be reading it again." he added with a smile.

They sat in silence after that just looking at each other. Mamoru still had a shadow of a smile on his face and Usagi's cheeks were still flushed, mostly from his open scrutiny. Their eyes locked for a moment as they moved over each other's face. Cerulean drowned in ocean blue as their depths held her captive in their warm waves.

Usagi sighed lightly at the feeling. She had had plenty of crushes before, her strongest on Tuxedo Kamen, but this felt more intense. Was it because it was Mamoru? Maybe because he was Tuxedo Kamen? Or possibly just because he was now her boyfriend?

_Maybe it's all of them._ she thought quietly as she looked away shyly, unable to continue holding his gaze.

"Your fever hasn't come back has it?" she heard him ask before feeling the weight of his hand on her forehead.

She shrugged and closed her eyes as she bit her lip lightly at the electric tingles generating from where his hand sat. She still couldn't explain why it was happening. She had even thought it would stop since they were together, since she had begun to think it was from built up dormant feelings.

_Maybe…something is still dormant._ she considered as she felt his hand move down to her cheek, the electric feeling following as the back of his fingers brushed her skin.

"You feel it too?" he asked and watched her eyes open and look at him. She nodded and it was enough to let him know that she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"It's a weird feeling but I like it." he said as he pulled his hand away to see her smile completely.

**Me too.** he read as she wrote out the two words and smiled.

"I can't believe how much I've been smiling." he said with a light laugh and watched her eyes brighten and her smile widen.

**Mission accomplished.** she wrote as she remembered her determination from the previous night, and was happy to hear him laugh some more at her words.

"Oh! That reminds me. Yesterday after I left to, you know, give you some time. I went to the arcade and told Motoki how I felt about you." he said and watched her raise her eyebrows and nod her head for him to continue. "He seemed surprised at first but he really wasn't. He basically said he had been waiting to see which one of us would get a clue first." he explained.

Usagi rolled her eyes. She could see Motoki saying something along those lines and even picture his expressions.

_That means he's known that we had some type of feelings for each other for a while, so if he thought that then what did he think of Mamoru and Rei?_ she wondered as she picked up her pen and began to write.

**What did he think of you and Rei if he had had these thoughts about us for so long?**

"He thought that everyone except Rei could see that I wasn't interested in her as a girlfriend, and wondered why I even went on dates with her." he answered with a sigh. "But anyway, he was happy that I had come to my senses about what I felt for you." he added as he leaned against her bed.

**I'm glad we both came to our senses. Do you think that if I hadn't gotten sick it wouldn't have happened?**

"No. I don't think that. I was already noticing my feelings before you got sick." he said after reading her words. "I do think that maybe your getting sick helped those feelings come to the surface quicker then they would have." he added.

Usagi nodded her head in agreement since she did think that her getting sick played a part. If she hadn't been sick they wouldn't have had an excuse to spend so much time alone together.

_Not being on friendly terms with the girls probably helped as well._ she thought before she suddenly began to cough. She quickly turned her face into her pillow to contain her germs.

"Are you okay?" Mamoru asked when her cough ended and watched as she reached under her pillow and pulled out a cough drop before nodding to him. "You're sure?" he asked and again she nodded as she placed the drop in her mouth and placed the wrapper on her nightstand.

"Okay. Well there's something I wanted to ask you. I've actually been meaning to ask this for a few days now." he said before clearing his throat lightly and looking to her. "Why is Rei so mean to you? I know it started off as teasing but its not anymore is it? I could even see it when you guys were fighting youma's." he said quietly.

Usagi sighed lightly but before she could even think of the words to write, there was a knock on her door. Her mom poked her head in and seeing that she was awake pushed the door open and came into her room.

"How are you feeling Usagi?" Mrs. Tsukino asked.

Usagi turned the page in her notebook so she had a blank page to write on and began to give her mother details on her health. She wrote of her weakness, her cough, her sore throat, and her head ache. Just as she was picking up the notebook to hand to her mother, she sneezed, her cough drop nearly flying out of her mouth. She dropped her face onto her pillow with a sigh as she shook her head lightly. Then she added that she was now sneezing to her health list.

Mamoru watched Usagi's sad face as she closed her eyes and sniffed a little, then he looked up at Mrs. Tsukino as she began to read Usagi's words. He looked back and forth, hesitating only moments, before he moved onto his knees and leaned closer to Usagi as he rubbed her upper back. He watched as she opened her eyes slowly to look at him, her cheeks lightly blushed, before her eyes shifted to her mother.

_Wow._ he thought, struck at the sight of his Usagi. The way her eyes slowly opened to look at him as she lay there, her cheeks rosy, her hair down and messy as ribbons weaved across her cheek and along her neck. He knew that she wasn't feeling well but she looked so beautiful and relaxed. He was sure that if the situation had been different…if she wasn't sick, if her mother wasn't standing there, he was positive that he would be initiating their first kiss as a couple.

_What is mom going to think when she sees him doing that? What about the rose?_ Usagi wondered as she looked back to Mamoru only to see a look in his eyes that she had never seen before, driving thoughts of the flower in her hair completely from her mind. _No. I've seen that look before, just never outside my dreams._ her thoughts whispered as she remembered the man from her dreams that could easily pass for her boyfriends twin.

_Is he going to…_ she couldn't even finish the thought as his eyes held hers. Still, her cheeks darkened and her heart sped up at the look in his eyes couple with her unfinished thought. His hand gliding back and forth across her back only heightened the suddenly rising feeling.

"I'm sorry dear. Maybe if you ate something you'd feel better. Are you hungry? What about you Mamoru, would you like anything?" Ikuko asked.

Mamoru's hand paused in its movement and Usagi blinked and closed her eyes. The spell that had been building between them broken by her mothers voice. It was a few moments before either of them could think to do or say anything and Mamoru was the first to make an effort.

"No. Ummm…that's okay. I'm not hungry or anything." he answered as he tried to force himself to move away from Usagi, but it quickly became clear that it was a futile effort.

Usagi reached out toward her mom before she even opened her eyes, and even when she had the notebook in her hand and her eyes were open she couldn't look at her. She didn't know what her mother saw before she spoke but she desperately hoped it wasn't what she saw when she got trapped in Mamoru's eyes.

**I'm not really hungry but I know I need to eat something, so could you just decide on something? Something that's not too much for me, and can I have some room temperature orange juice please.** she scribbled out quickly to give herself something to focus on instead of what her mother might be thinking.

"Okay you two." Ikuko said as she handed Usagi's notebook back. "I'll be back with your orange juice Usagi, and are you sure you don't want anything Mamoru?" she asked as she looked to him.

"Yes." he said as he nodded his head.

They watched as she nodded and left the room. Then they looked at each other and smiled shyly before looking away. They couldn't seem to help it. It was like their new status as a couple had made them giddy. Even so, Mamoru managed to regain his seat on the floor before his hand decided to move up into Usagi's hair. Within minutes Usagi's mom was in with her orange juice and leaving out with the promise that it wouldn't be too long for her food to be done.

Mamoru watched as she slowly sat up on her arm and took a long drink before lying her head back down on her pillow and beginning to write.

**I'm honestly not sure why Rei has been so mean to me. I remember when her teasing started. It was right after she met you. Her teasing mimicked yours in almost every way. And I'm sure you didn't fail to notice when she started calling me Odango Atama. I was almost angry when she started that. My first thought was that only ****you****could call me that; never mind that I didn't like when you did. She only did it because she liked you and knew that irritated me.**

**But anyway, at first it was just the name and then it was how much I ate and how much time I spent reading comic books. Then it moved on to how clumsy I was and how she was getting tired of me being late all the time. After that she started complaining about me not studying and how stupid I must be.**

**You've seen her during and after fights since I know, as smart as you are, you'll have realized that she's Sailor Mars, so I don't have to explain that to you. But since reading this I'm sure that the memories are surfacing so their fresh in your mind; our training sessions were worse then that, probably because she didn't have to worry about youma's attacking while she was on her tirade.**

Here Usagi paused to cough into her pillow. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of her never-ending coughs that made her throat feel raw and her stomach muscles clench painfully.

Again Mamoru moved to rub her back, hoping to help ease whatever she was feeling. The cough drops were obviously working since she wasn't coughing every few minutes, but they weren't helping now and he wished there was something he could do.

As Usagi's cough finally came to an end she moved to continue writing with a sniffle, not even trying to hide her pain filled tears from her throat and stomach. When she felt Mamoru moving to sit back down she grabbed his arm and shook her head. It felt good when he rubbed her back, and she didn't want him to stop yet since it helped make her feel better.

"Does it help?" Mamoru asked quietly as he leaned back toward her, and watched as she nodded her head. So he resumed the motion on her back and made sure he wasn't in her way as she continued to write.

**I never move fast enough for her, I never hit hard enough, I'm never strong enough. I'm not enough of a soldier for her…or any of them!** she finished as quickly as she could and pushed the notebook toward Mamoru.

"Can you bare it if I stop?" he asked as he looked from her words flowing across the paper and back to her face.

He listened to her give a somber sigh before nodding and reaching under her pillow to retrieve a cough drop. Her sigh didn't encourage him to stop, and if he was being honest with himself he really didn't want to. He actually thought it would make him feel bad, so he decided to keep up the rubbing motion and just turn the notebook around so he could read her words.

Mamoru read her explanation and gave a tired sigh. He didn't know what to think of it. He always teased her but he never intentionally tried to belittle her and make her feel bad. Rei on the other hand seemed to practically criticize her for living her life.

_I don't think I would have tease her half as much if I had known how much she was getting from Rei._ he thought as he turned to the next blank page for her. _I don't blame her for not wanting to be a senshi anymore. Never mind the fact that she's afraid of causing someone's death; Rei's behavior alone would be enough for me not to want to put up with it anymore._ he thought as he watched Usagi touching her rose while her cheek poked out a bit as she worked to dissolve the minty cough drop. _This is definitely not going to help me talk her into going back to being a senshi._ he thought with a sigh as he turned her notebook around toward her.

"I'm sorry you've had to deal with so much criticism. If I had known you were never getting a break from it, or even the extent of it, I wouldn't have tease you the way I did." he said as his hand moved up from her upper back to her neck. He bit the inside of his bottom lip and looked away from her to help suppress his reaction to the feel of her soft hair sliding across the back of his hand as he massaged the back of her neck.

**Yes you would have. It was the only way you could express those dormant feelings you had for me.** Usagi wrote with a smile, which widened at the embarrassed smile he gave her after reading her response. **Besides, it would have been weird if you had stopped all of a sudden.**

"True. I'm not sure _how _I would have acted then." he said as he moved his hand back to her back, and was happy that his hand continued to be caressed by her long soft hair. "So…is her behavior one of the things keeping you from being a senshi?" he asked quietly as he watched her face carefully.

Usagi frowned lightly as she looked back at Mamoru. He knew her reasons for leaving the group, so why was he trying to clarify them now? And the way he was watching her gave her the impression that he was looking for something.

_Maybe he's going to try and get me to go back to the team._ she considered as she closed her eyes to better enjoy her warm back rub. _I hope not. My main reason for quitting hasn't changed and I doubt it will._ she thought as she opened her eyes and began to write.

**Yes it is. Hers, Makoto's, and Ami's. And you know my main reason. I don't want any of you hurt or…or dead because of me.**

Mamoru sighed. He seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. He needed her to continue being Sailor Moon, and it wasn't just for the good of the city. He couldn't explain exactly why; he just knew that he needed her out there with him. He felt as if there was something she or they needed to do. It confused him but there was something inside him pushing him forward toward this goal. It had never led him astray before, so he wasn't going to stop following it now. He opened his mouth, not sure what he was going to say but wanting to try to convince her that she was wrong, but before he could get a word out a knock sounded against her door and the next moment Mrs. Tsukino was entering with Usagi's food.

"I've brought you some soup and crackers Usagi." Ikuko said in her soft motherly tone as she placed the bowl and crackers on her nightstand. "It's not hot but it's warm enough to last until you finish it okay." she finished as she moved the orange juice over so it wouldn't get spilled.

Usagi nodded with a smile and mouthed a thank you to her mom and watched her leave the room. Once the door was closed she looked at the bowl with wisps of steam floating out of it and closed her eyes with a pained grimace at the thought of trying to eat it.

Mamoru stopped rubbing Usagi's back as he began to move away to give her room so she could eat, but her eyes popped open and the look she gave him froze him in place. It was such a sad longing look, but he blinked and the longing was gone.

Had he imagined that?

_No. It was there._ he thought with a sigh. _It's interesting how she wants me close. I wonder if it's because we're in a relationship now or something else. Maybe it's that comforting feeling I give her._ he considered.

"Usagi your going to need room to eat, and its not like you can eat lying down like this." he said and watched as she immediately began to write.

**Who says I was going to eat at all?!** she wrote with a rebellious frown.

"Usagi! You need to eat if you want to get better." he said with a huff. "Don't you wanted to get better so I can take you out on our first date?" he asked with a smile.

Usagi blushed at his question and smile. It was that smile he always flashed after he had thoroughly teased her, only now instead of irritating her it sent her heart flutter in her chest.

Her eyes shifted to the bowl of soup and she pouted as she looked back to him and began to write.

**But I feel so weak. It's why I wasn't sitting up in the first place remember.**

"Aww come on. You can do it." he said and watched her shake her head. Her pout and blush still in place. "At least try. Please, for me." he tried and watched her pout turn thoughtful for a second before she sighed slowly and pushed her pen and notebook toward him and began to sit up.

The process looked laborious and it didn't take him long to decide to help her. He got her situated comfortably against her pillow and her blankets settled around her before he carefully placed the bowl of soup in her lap and moved to sit back in his original spot on the floor with her smile of thanks still floating before his eyes.

"You know you're not the only one afraid that people will get hurt or die because of something you have or haven't done." he said quietly after a few silent moments, the words to try and convince her having came to him while he was helping her.

Usagi paused at his words, her spoonful of soup trickling back into the bowl. She was surprised and shocked. He always seemed so calm and collected during the battles. Like he had always been doing it and knew what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

"You eat and I'll talk." he said and waited until she put the first spoonful into her mouth. He looked away with a solemn sigh as she swallowed, grimaced, and put a hand to her throat.

"I was always afraid that I wouldn't be able to save you." he began as he played with her pen while leaning against her bed. "I thought that it was my fault whenever you got hurt too badly. I was always afraid of what would happen if I didn't get to you in time. Always feared what would happen if I didn't move fast enough or act fast enough." he said quietly shaking his head slightly.

"I worried about the other senshi as well, but it was always different with you." he said with a small smile as he looked to her to make sure she was still eating. "I know you were having problems with the others, but at least you had them to talk to even if it was just the little things. I didn't have anyone." his voice pitching low as he remembered all the stress and worry over Sailor Moon's safety, the crystals, the Princess, what the negaverse wanted, and how it all affected his life. "You know, it wasn't until fairly recently that I was positive that I was Tuxedo Kamen." he added as an after thought to try and distract himself from his memories. They were _still _stressful after all. But her sudden coughing was more then enough distraction.

Usagi held her bowl still in her lap with one hand and covered her mouth with the other as she coughed to clear her throat of the soup she was choking on at the shock of his words.

How could he not know that he was Tuxedo Kamen? If he didn't know then how did he find out? Was he missing bits of time in his memory from when he was out fighting with and saving her as Tuxedo Kamen? That question was disturbing. She tried to imagine what it would have been like to be doing something and then all of a sudden find herself somewhere else possibly hours later and be unable to explain the memory gap.

"Are you okay?" he asked anxiously as he helped her hold her bowl steady, and watched as she nodded as her cough died down. "You're sure?" he asked and again she nodded, this time more firmly. "Okay. Well do you want me to continue?" he asked and received a vigorous nod.

"Okay." he said as he sat back down. "This is going to be a little complicated to explain, so just bare with me." he said warily, thinking about her coming reactions, and watched as she nodded and went back to eating her soup.

"I guess I'll start at the beginning then. My childhood." he began softly as he straightened the notebook and pen that he'd tossed to the floor when she began to cough. "When I was really little I was involved in a car accident with my parents. My parents…my parents didn't survive and I had no memory of who I was." he said and looked up as he heard her gasp. "It wasn't long after that that I started to have this reoccurring dream. Night after night, the same thing over and over again."

"There's a girl…a princess standing on a balcony of a Palace. She's always wearing a long white gown and she has sliver gold hair so long that it touches the ground. I can never see her face no matter how hard I try but there's something familiar about her…like I know her." he explained with a thoughtful frown. "She always asked for my help, but I didn't know _how _to help her. I was too young." he said with a small shrug. "I'm not exactly sure when they stopped but they did. I eventually convinced myself that I had made it up as a way to deal with the accident. Still, I never forgot the princess even though the dream faded."

"Then, years later, Sailor Moon suddenly appears…and the dream starts again. Only now I'm old enough to realize that I obviously didn't and wasn't imagining the it and that I had to help her somehow. I figure if I can help her then she might be able to tell me who I really am. I remembered my name, or what I thought was my name, and my age, but that was it. The doctors couldn't find anything on me or my parents. I'm sure the police found stuff on my parents, but it obviously wasn't enough to let me know who I was since they never told me anything." he said with a sigh.

"You see, she's always begging me to find this silver crystal and that everything will be explained and I'll understand everything when I do. I'm hoping that that includes my true identity." he said solemnly.

"That's when the rainbow crystals come into play. As Tuxedo Kamen, before I was sure that he was me, I felt that it was important to get those crystals. After I got one it sort of glowed and changed me from Tuxedo Kamen back into myself, and that was when I was sure that I was really this masked hero." he said and paused to see how much Usagi had eaten since she had stopped.

"Is it hurting too much or are you too absorbed in my story?" he asked and watched her expression turn thoughtful as she looked down at her soup. She looked back to him with a sigh and then went back to eating. "That's better. I don't want to hear your stomach grumbling because you wouldn't eat." he said and watched her stick her tongue out at him. He felt a quivering sensation in his stomach at the sight. He was fully aware of what it meant since it felt similar to their earlier staring match when her mother was standing over them.

_I guess that means that attraction is building and my body wants that first kiss._ he thought with a mental sigh before pushing the thought aside to get back to his explanation.

"Anyway, so ever since then I've been hoping that if I can just get all the crystals together then maybe they'll lead me to this silver crystal I'm supposed to find. Or at least give me a clue toward finding it." he finished with a sigh.

Usagi swallowed a mouth full of soup as Mamoru finished his explanation. She could hardly believe it. She had always known that he must have had a good reason for wanting the crystals, but she had never imagined it to be anything close to what she had just learned.

"You don't have to stop eating just because I finished talking. You should finish and take the time to think." she heard him say and she nodded and processed to fill her mouth with the warm soup.

She was thoroughly disturbed on his behalf that he couldn't remember who he was before the accident. To only be certain of his age and barely his name. She couldn't even imagine how that must make him feel. She was also saddened that he had lost his parents in such a way. She hadn't known that he was an orphan. She didn't really know anything personal about him. That hadn't bothered her before since she had always been irritated or angry with him, but now…now it bothered her more then she liked.

As Usagi worked on the last of her soup she snuck glances at Mamoru and saw that he was mostly playing with the edge of her blankets. She wondered what he was thinking as he waited for her to finish eating. Did he wonder if she thought he was crazy because of his acting on his repeating dream? Did he think she was angry with him over the rainbow crystals? She wanted to reassure him, to ease his mind, but she had no idea how to respond to him.

_I guess I'll just have to write what comes to mind._ she thought as she scooped up the last of her soup and moved her bowl to her nightstand. She grabbed her orange juice and took a long drink, taking advantage of the fact that the warmth of the soup had eased her throat. She then grabbed a cough drop and grimaced as she registered its taste after her soup and orange juice.

_Time to make myself as comfy as possible before I start writing._ she thought as she slowly began to scoot forward and ease herself down.

"Do you need any help?" Mamoru asked as he watched her and watched as she shook her head slowly and continued to move until she was lying down.

Usagi sighed tiredly as she lay there. It wasn't as painful as it was to sit up but it was enough to make her glad that she didn't have far to move. She sighed once more, this time for the task at hand, and began to reach toward Mamoru so he would know to hand over her pen and notebook, but she suddenly felt a tingling feeling in her nose and quickly moved her hands back to her mouth just before a sneeze escaped it. She sniffed and looked at her spit covered hands with sad disgust.

"I'll get you some…" Mamoru began but was cut off as Usagi sneezed again. "I'll be right back with some tissue." he said quickly as he got to his feet. As he moved to her door he heard the sound of her sneezing yet again. After he opened her door he looked to his left and then his right as he wondered where the bathroom was. He didn't want to just open random doors, but the sound of Usagi sneezing again pushed him into trying just that.

There was one door that was labeled as Shingo's room so he didn't open that one. The next one he saw was close and closed but as he moved to open it he saw that the next one was slightly open so he moved to that one instead. He saw gratefully that it was the bathroom and grabbed a bunch of tissue as he breath a sigh at not having opened what was most likely Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino's bedroom.

"Here you go." he said after hurrying back with the tissue, and watched as she took some and wiped at her hands before quickly bring it to her face as she sneezed loudly and began to cough. He got back to his feet and closed her door since he had left it open in his haste then went and sat back down.

Mamoru waited, looking on sadly as her cough continued. The sight of tears escaping her closed eyes was almost torturous since he knew there was nothing he could do to help her. Eventually her cough ended and she cautiously lowered her tissue with a sniffle before looking to him. He didn't know what to say. The first thing that came to mind was to ask if she was okay, but it was obvious that she wasn't. He wanted to comfort her and assure her that it would pass and that she would get better. The only thing that made him hesitant of taking her into his arms was the thought of her mother, or worse, her father walking in and seeing them that way.

Usagi sighed a sad sigh as she carefully turned on her side and began to reach for her notebook, but Mamoru saw what she wanted and placed it on her bed where she could write in reasonable comfort and handed her her pen.

**You shouldn't be here. You're going to get sick!** she wrote and turned the notebook toward Mamoru.

"I'll take my chances." he responded in a quiet yet firm tone and watched as she turned the notebook back around.

**You're stubborn…but I'm glad you're staying. I don't like the thought of being alone right now. It would have been hard to get that tissue by myself. Thanks for that.** she wrote with a tired smile as she turned the notebook toward him.

"Well I'm happy that you're glad I'm staying. You know that's another reason why I'm here right? I didn't want you to be alone, especially since you can't talk and with how weak you're feeling." he said sympathetically. "I don't think you're father would like it but if I have to come here and do my studying so you won't be alone I'll gladly do it." he said with a smile. "Of course that would mean I wouldn't be alone either." he added quietly as he looked down at the tissue in his hand.

Usagi's tired eyes softened as she looked at Mamoru. She wanted to ask him if he was always alone, if Motoki was his only friend, if he would really risk her father's wrath to keep her company, and if he was really that lonely to take such a risk. She wanted to ask those things, those things and more since they still needed to learn about each other, but he looked sad and she didn't want to see that expression on his face; no matter how much he thought he was hiding it, so she responded to his lengthy story.

**I know it's been a long time but I'm sorry about your parents. I can't imagine how you must have felt…how you must still feel, and to not remember who you are on top of that is just…I'm sorry. I wish you didn't have to go through that. I wish you didn't have to experience that pain.** she wrote and turned the notebook to him again.

As Mamoru read her words he smiled because he believed that she was truly sorry for him. The few others that learned that he had become an orphan through a car accident also said they were sorry, but it always felt like they were saying it just because they thought that they had to. With Usagi it was definitely different. As if, if she really could she would wish away the pain he had gone through. Still went through at times.

"Thanks." he said with a smile. "I suppose I could say that I wouldn't be the person that I am if it hadn't happened…but I would give up who I am if it meant having them back." he said quietly, once again looking at the tissue in his hand. "Whose to say this is the person I want to be anyway." he added almost as an after thought.

Usagi's pen was still as she studied his face and considered his words. She wondered what she would be like if she suddenly lost her parents. Or even if it had happened when she was a little girl. How different would she have been? Would she be the happy carefree girl she strived to be everyday? Would she have been bitter? Would she have refused Luna when she first told her about being one of the chosen senshi? Would she have even _saved _her from those little kids? Would she have met Mamoru? If so, would they have gotten along? Would they have been together all this time instead of ignoring their feelings for each other?

_Who knows._ she thought quietly as she turned the notebook back around and began to write.

**I think you ****are**** the person you want to be. Well, aside from the masked hero business. ****That**** you didn't choose, but all the studying you do…you do that because you want to. Because you're working toward some goal that will give you satisfaction in life. I think that if your parents had lived you would still be the private, strong, stubborn, determined guy you are now.** she paused and wondered if she should add her last thought, and decided that she would after glancing his way.** And perhaps we would have been together all this time instead of doing what we did.**

Mamoru smiled and chuckled lightly at her words as he read. It was nice to read what she thought. It was nice to know that she thought he would be the same person. There were many times when he questioned what he was doing…his chosen path in life, and wondered how different he would have been had his parents survived. Or better yet, if the accident had never happened.

"Thanks for that. It's nice to know. _More_ then nice to know with how I'd started to think lately, and its nice to know that if things had turned out differently we might have had more time together by now. We could have been happy all this time." he said with an easy smile.

Usagi smiled back and sighed as she closed her eyes and rested her head more comfortably against her pillow as she readied herself to address the rest of what he had revealed to her…as well as her own dream.

**As for your reoccurring dream and the crystals…well…its not all that unusual. At least not to me since I've been having my own weird dreams for the last few months. Dreams, if you will recall, that I can barely remember. And with the crystals I knew that you must have had a good reason for wanting them; I just never imagined it was the one you told me about.**

**The reason the Senshi are trying to gather them together is because they're hoping that they'll reveal or help reveal the Princess they're looking for. She's supposed to be this really important Moon Princess that the Senshi are supposed to protect, but they have to find her first since she's hidden for her own protection. They don't even know what she looks like. She might not even ****know**** that she's the princess. So…I don't know if your dream Princess and the Senshi's Princess are one in the same, but I suggest you and the Senshi get on friendly terms so that you can find out. They don't trust you but I'm sure you guys will find some way to work together.**

Usagi paused as she considered how to bring up her dream and how much to say. As she stretched her fingers she wondered whether or not she should mention that the man in her dreams looked like him.

_Maybe I shouldn't tell him._ she thought as she frowned at what she had written as she held her pen loosely in her hand. _Maybe he only looked like Mamoru because of last night._ she considered but quickly dismissed it as she remembered waking from her fever induced unconsciousness and seeing the face of the man in her dreams when she was really seeing Mamoru. _I'll just write and see if it comes out._ she thought with a sigh as she brought the tip of her pen back to the paper.

**I told you I would tell you about my dream later, and now's as good a time as any, especially since you just told me about yours. I'm not sure if I was crying because of what happened in the dream or because of what it made me feel. Maybe it was both. The dream was about a couple. An older couple. Not seriously old though. They looked like they were in their early twenties, nineteen at the least for the woman. The man, Endymion,…**

Usagi cringed slightly and squeezed her eyes shut at the feelings that engulfed her as the mans name flowed through her mind. She still couldn't understand why she felt such strong emotions for a man she had never met.

_Even if he does look like Mamoru._ she thought as she remembered his face. _He looked older too; just like the girl that looked like and older version of me._ she thought with a weary sigh and opened her eyes as she felt Mamoru rubbing her back. _He looks concerned…which means he probably didn't miss that cringe._ she thought as she smiled at him and continued writing.

**he asked her to marry him. It was so sweet and romantic, any girl would be lucky to get such a proposal. Anyway, like I told you before, I usually only remember the man's name and what it makes me feel. That's still true, but now I know what he looks like.**

Here Usagi hesitated for a moment and glanced to Mamoru, still not sure if she should reveal the man's image to him.

Mamoru watched Usagi as she looked at him almost questioningly as she paused in her writing. He wondered what she was trying to decide as he busied himself with rubbing her back. She had already written a lot and he wondered what more she had to say. He was extremely curious and nervous about what she thought about his dream and needing the rainbow crystals.

_She doesn't look upset. She just looks like she's trying to think of an answer to something. And it looks like she's found it._ his thought finished as he watched her continue to write. She added on almost another paragraph before she sighed and turned the notebook around so he could read. He watched as she placed her pen on the nightstand and pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear, just missing her rose, before closing her eyes. _Well, here goes._ he thought as he looked back to the paper and began to read.

After reading the beginning about how she didn't think his dream was unusual he wondered if she had included hers in one of the following paragraphs. He still wanted to know why she was crying when he first arrived and guessed that he would just have to either read and find out or ask her if she didn't write it down.

He continued on and was surprised, although he shouldn't have been, and glad that she had always thought he had a good reason for collecting the crystals. She had even gone so far as to explain why they were collecting them. They were looking for a princess too! Maybe even the same one!

_Moon Princess. I wonder if she really is the same person._ he wondered as he unconsciously began to move his hand up to massage the back of Usagi's neck. _I think they are. What are the odds that I start dreaming about the Princess again as soon as Sailor Moon makes her first appearance?_ he considered as his fingers moved along her skin and brushed against her hair. _But if that's the case then why is she sending me the dreams? Why not one or all of the Senshi since according to Usagi they're her protectors? What is it about me?_ he questioned as he looked to Usagi to see her eyes slowly close with a soft smile. _Maybe the link is that she seems familiar to me._ he thought quietly as he smiled at the sight of Usagi enjoying what he was doing before focusing back on her words.

Mamoru suppressed a sigh as he read how she thought he should work with the Senshi to find out if his dream Princess was the Moon Princess they were looking for. He agreed with her but it was hard to work with people who didn't trust you, and even harder to try and be friendly. They would want to know why he wanted to work with them and he didn't particularly want to share his reasons with them. Things wouldn't really get better when ever it was they found out his true identity either.

He continued to read and paid closer attention as she began to talk about her dream and why she had been crying. He found it interesting that she was dreaming about a marriage proposal from this Endymion guy she dreamed about. He nearly laughed to hold back the unsettling feelings that man's name brought to him. It wasn't really anything bad; he just didn't know what to think about them. And was she trying to tell him something when their relationship was only hours old? He doubted it since she hadn't said the woman was her, and this Endymion was someone she had already been dreaming about so it couldn't be h…

Mamoru's thought cut off with a gasp and his hand froze on Usagi's neck as he read the rest of her words.

**He looks like an older version of you. The same hair, the same eyes, the same smile, the same height…at least from her point of view, the same voice, the same everything! Even down to the roses! Well, maybe not the same everything. The clothes were definitely different. He wore some kind of uniform I've never seen before. And the woman, she wore a white gown with this gold lining and beads at the top, but Mamoru, she looked like me! Like an older version of me. I don't know what to think about that. And I don't know what to think about the fact that there's this sense of familiarity with him because I've never met him and he's definitely not you, so…I don't know.**

Usagi's eyes had popped open the moment she heard Mamoru gasp and she just knew that he was reading the part about the man from her dream looking like him. She watched as he pulled his hand away from her neck and held the notebook with both hands as he sat back on the floor reading her words. She was extremely nervous about what he thought about her dream. Did he think she was crazy? Was he regretting asking her out after reading how his dream look alike had asked her dream look alike to marry him?

She closed her eyes and released a quiet sigh. She was making her head ache worse with all this worrying. She just needed to stop and accept whatever it was he thought since it wasn't like she could change his opinion.

Mamoru released a huff of breath as he lowered the notebook to his lap. Her words seemed like they ended on a confused panicked tone and he didn't like that. Maybe he could try to find some reason in her dream to calm her mind.

_Why does this Endymion guy look like me? And why do I feel spacey when I think of that name, and…and __**why **__do I suddenly like the fact that my look alike asked her look alike to marry him?!_ he thought a little frantically, and rubbed a hand tiredly over his face as he tried and failed to ignore the part of him that wanted to know what the answer was.

"This is…it's…I don't know." he said with a sigh as he watched her put a cough drop in her mouth as she watched him warily. "Maybe…" he trailed off with a thoughtful frown as an idea suddenly came to him.

"Maybe its some kind of reincarnation thing." he said, voicing some of his thoughts. "It would explain why these people look like us and the sense of familiarity." he added. _It would also explain the weird things I've been thinking and feeling._ his thoughts added as he placed the notebook back on her bed. "So maybe it means we were meant to be together." he added suddenly without thought.

They looked at each other for few moments before smiling and laughing lightly.

**Maybe we were.** Usagi wrote as she remembered Endymion giving her look alike a sea of roses and Mamoru giving her one for his every visit. **And maybe it is a reincarnation thing. I hadn't considered that. Not that I really had long to consider it.** she wrote and pushed the notebook to him.

Mamoru nodded his head at her words. It made sense that she hadn't considered it seeing as how she seemed to have woken from the dream not long before he came. It also explained the confusion and panic in her words.

"Can I ask what the guys name makes you feel?" he asked as he put the notebook back in front of her.

**Happiness, sadness, joy, pain, familiarity.** she wrote. She didn't even have to think about it. It was all there swirling around her heart ready to clench and squeeze when she thought of his name.

"Wow." he said as he read the five words. They made sense when he considered what she had said in her sleep that last time. He still didn't want her to know what she had said in case she remembered something painful. Hell, even _he _felt pain at what she had said in her sleep, which also made it more likely to be some sort of reincarnation. _Which is still weird. What are the chances of us being some reincarnated couple? That out of everyone in the world we would find each other and end up together again?_

"How long have you been having these dreams?" he asked since he was curious and wondered if there was a connection somewhere.

**Since I became Sailor Moon. I mean ****literally**** that night after my first fight.** she wrote and added after a moments consideration, **I had kind of hoped they would stop since I'm not her anymore. Guess I was wrong.**

_Since she became Sailor Moon huh. There has to be some kind of link there. Just like all this hero business is the link between my dreams._ he thought with a sigh.

"There's a link there somewhere. Don't you think continuing on as Sailor Moon would help you find the exact connection?" he asked quietly.

Usagi sighed heavily and closed her eyes as she shook her head slowly. The man seemed determined to get her to be a senshi again, and she just couldn't understand why. Didn't he see? Didn't he understand that everyone would be safer without her out there trying to help?

**No I don't.** she wrote after opening her eyes. **I've survived perfectly fine without a connection and I don't think I need it now. Besides, the girls and I are still not getting along, and even if that changed, the fact that I'm ****still**** not a good fighter hasn't!** she scribbled and pushed the notebook toward him.

"You can change that. I can help you." Mamoru tried to reason with her. He wouldn't give up on her. She may not think she needed to be out there or wasn't good enough to be, but the city needed her out there. _He _needed her out there. "We can do it together. I can train with you. I can teach you things that the others can't. You've seen how I move out there. I'm sure if you learned to move like that it would help." he explained.

**Why are you trying so hard Mamoru? Why do you want me to continue being Sailor Moon? Why does it even matter to you?** she wrote slowly as if mimicking how she would have said it.

"Because…" he said with a frustrated huff and trailed off with a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. How did he explain something he couldn't even really explain to himself? "I just…" he began in a low voice but was cut off by the sound of a light knock on her door that drew both their gazes.

"Usa-chan? You awake?" they heard the steady yet soft voice of Makoto as the door began to open.

"Your mom said it was okay if we came up, and…" Makoto's voice continued but trailed off as the door opened wider to reveal that Usagi wasn't alone.

Usagi and Mamoru shared a weary glance before looking back to her doorway where Makoto, sporting a small shocked grin, stood to the left of Ami, who looked surprised and not a bit shocked holding Luna in her arms with Rei, angry twitching eye and all, standing on her right.


	9. A Mother's Thoughts & a Cat's Concerns

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

A Mother's Thoughts and a Cat's Concerns

**Luna's POV**

Luna watched as Usagi collapsed on her bed. It didn't looked like the normal dramatic action she was use to seeing before her charge took a nap, and that concerned the feline guardian. The young girl looked as if she didn't have the energy to hold herself up anymore.

She watched as Usagi seemed to struggle up from her bed after a few moments of lying motionless, and then begin to change out of her school uniform. As Luna watched the familiar action she thought back to the scene she had just witnessed back at the park between Usagi and Mamoru. Even with their usual display of teasing and yelling at their parting, Luna was still surprised at the civil quiet that had come before. It confused her. She had never known them to be so civil toward one another. It was always teasing, yelling, and arguing. Always. So where did this come from, and why was it happening?

Luna considered how she didn't mind it. She had always wanted Usagi to have friends besides the girls. She had been sad when she seemed to give up on Naru and the others as they found Makoto and Rei, but she knew why she had done it. It was a necessary evil in order to keep her secret identity a secret. She wasn't exactly thrilled that Usagi might be building an actual friendship with Mamoru for the simple fact that he was a guy, but he was better then no one, especially now when she was having issues with the only girls who were still her close friends.

Besides, she had paid him some attention before the other girls came along to make sure he didn't learn Usagi's secret, and had discovered that he was a very smart and sensible young man when he wasn't engaging in childish banter with Usagi.

She wondered if this new tolerance they had of one another would last, or if it would disappear if she and the girls were able to settle their differences.

_When__ Luna. __When__ they settle their differences. They have to. If the Negaverse finds out about this, it could be serious trouble._ she thought worriedly. _Besides, not being friends seems to be taking its toll on Makoto and Ami._ she thought with a sigh as she focused back on Usagi.

Luna watched as Usagi began to pull papers from her school bag and gather her books on her floor desk. Usagi's back was facing the balcony so she couldn't really see what she was doing, but when she leaned over the desk slightly and seemed to be focused, Luna's furry jaw dropped.

Usagi was doing homework. She was completely floored. Her mind tried to say that she was drawing, trying to copy one of her comic books, but as the thought passed through her mind she watched as Usagi grabbed one of her text books and opened it. She couldn't deny it. She was actually witnessing Usagi do her homework. When she got over her shock she wondered why her charge was even doing her homework. Was it connected to what she had seen from her in class and overhead from Ami and Makoto?

When Usagi left her room and didn't come back, Luna focused her mind on trying to figure out how she was going to get the information she needed to figure out what the major problem was between the girls. She needed to report to Central Control soon and she would like to have something useful to tell them. All she could tell so far was that Usagi was being more studious, seemed to be getting along with her nemesis, and had an unexplainable wound on her forehead.

The only thing that seemed to be different with the girls was that Ami and Makoto were having a change of heart. She didn't know if Rei was any different from the last time she had seen her or not.

She would just have to continue to follow them all, listen, and watch to find out what she needed to know since she couldn't really think of another way. Her mind was still reeling from the fact that Usagi had quit after all.

When Usagi finally came back Luna continued to watch her and was still shocked that she was actually doing her homework. After an hour passed she watched as Usagi began to put her homework in her school bag, put away her books, and ready herself for bed.

The black feline worried when she saw Usagi coughing and wondered if she was getting sick. She had looked tired when she was at the park with Mamoru, more so then she was use to seeing.

Usagi eventually fell asleep and Luna continued to watch her. She had considered letting herself in but she didn't want to take the chance of Usagi waking up to find her there. Usually she wouldn't think Usagi would wake that easily but tonight she seemed to be sleeping restlessly. Tossing and turning and coughing so much that Luna was surprised that she hadn't woken herself up yet. As she watched over Usagi's sleeping form she wondered if Ami and Makoto had noticed any symptoms while they were in school.

When morning arrived Luna was shocked to see that when Usagi's alarm went off she actually got up instead of rolling over and going back to sleep. She was even more shocked to see her make her bed. As she watched Usagi putting her hair up in her usual style she couldn't help but notice how tired she looked and it became even more clear as she stealthily followed her on her walk to school.

Once Usagi was safe at school Luna left and went to Rei's school since she didn't think she'd learn anything by watching the other girls that day, and hoped she'd have better luck with Rei then she did before.

She had no such luck with Rei and was surprised when she called a meeting. Luna had quickly ducked into a bush so she could pull out her communicator. Hers was a little different then that of the girls. With hers she could listen to their conversation and see their faces without them being able to see her. Usually she was the one to call a meeting or suggest one of the girls do it if she was with them at the time, and she never, never contacted them at school unless there was an attack. She thought it was irresponsible of Rei to do such a thing.

Luna put her communicator away and went to Rei's temple to wait for them all since it was clear she wouldn't get close to Rei while she was at school. She climbed a tree and waited . First, Rei arrived since her school was closest, but she didn't follow her in. She waited until Makoto and Ami arrived then slipped in with them.

When the so called meeting got started she was just as shocked as Makoto and Ami that Rei had called the meeting to announce that she thought it was time they pick a new leader. She was sure that she wasn't the only one to immediately suspect that Rei intended the role to go to herself.

She hadn't known that the girls DNA would change once they became Senshi, but the moment Ami brought it to light it was like the memory was unlocked and she knew it to be true.

Once Ami made her excuses to leave Luna slipped out with Makoto and followed them to Makoto's apartment and listened to what they had to say about what happened at the fight at the temple among other things. They told her what they had learned from Tuxedo Kamen, that he had witnessed the fight and that he liked saving Sailor Moon and that he had an instinct that urged him to act to protect her. They informed her of the in class conversation between Usagi and Ami and how Usagi wouldn't just accept that she was sorry without any of them giving it more thought.

Luna asked them why they didn't tell her about what really happened at the fight near the temple and they explained that it was clear that Rei had already talked to her by the time they met up the next day and that she wouldn't have believe them so they just went along with what Rei had said. They also explained that they didn't really see it differently until Tuxedo Kamen explained his version since he had no reason to lie.

She then asked the girls about Tuxedo Kamen's reaction to the news that Usagi had quit, and was surprised at the shock, and stunned at the reported display of emotions when he was given Sailor Moon's parting words to him. She knew that Usagi had a crush on the masked man, but she had never thought that those feelings might have been returned. Now that she knew that was a possibility she considered it dangerous. They still had no assurances that he was on their side, and not working for the enemy, or that he was a second enemy they would have to worry about. She didn't want to take any chances with her charges.

She also inquired more into the conversation between Usagi and Ami and also about her behavior during class. Luna was getting the disturbing feeling that she had misjudged Usagi's character or at the very least assumed that she knew all there was to know about the young girl, and it seemed she wasn't the only one.

Luna stayed at Makoto's apartment that night and took the time to think over everything she had learned, and wondered if there was still more that she had been missing because she was being kept in the dark. She thought it was likely since she still had no idea what could have caused the rift between Usagi and the girls. She also made a mental note to take some time to consider her own actions and behavior toward Usagi, and hoped that something she had said or done had not led to this major problem.

The next day after she woke up she left Makoto's place and headed to Usagi's house to wait for her to get home from school. She once again perched herself in the tree outside Usagi's bedroom. After a while of lying stretched out on a branch she was surprised to see Mamoru arrive in his car and go inside. She realized at that moment that Usagi must still be at home. She looked at the balcony windows in front of her and wondered why the curtains were closed.

Luna couldn't understand why Usagi wasn't at school and why Mamoru of all people was coming to see her. She didn't even know that he knew where she lived. Even with those thoughts she stayed, gazing at the covered glass doors, hoping that the curtains would open, but they didn't and she decided to leave and see if she could find Ami and Makoto to find out if they knew why Usagi wasn't in school.

_Maybe their teacher knows something. Or perhaps I was right in thinking that Usagi was getting sick._ she thought as she jumped from the tree and began to make her way out of the Tsukino's front yard. _Regardless, I want to know for sure._

She made her way to the arcade, then on to Makoto's to look in the windows, but found no trace of either girl. She wished she could go to Ami's apartment but without Ami she wouldn't be able to get in. So instead of Ami's apartment, she headed over to Rei's temple to see if they were there, but she was sidetracked when she saw people running away from the park. She knew that meant an attack and decided to go observe the fight to see if she could learn anything about the problem between the girls before she asked them about Usagi.

Luna watched the girls as they quickly began to have problems with the youma they were faced with, and was actually grateful when Tuxedo Kamen showed up even though she wasn't sure about his loyalties and his intentions toward Usagi, even with all she had learned.

After the fight she listened to what Tuxedo Kamen had to say and had to confess that she was impressed. She couldn't have said it any better. He was completely right about the girls being able to work together. She knew and Central Control knew it, which is another reason why she was trying to find out what the real problem between them was.

Once Tuxedo Kamen had left the scene the girls began to silently make their way home, or at least she guessed that's where they were going. She considered following them since she had wanted to speak to Makoto and Ami about Usagi, but after what she had just heard she thought that they needed time alone to think.

She wandered the streets for a while, thinking about Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen's words and what she had learned about both people from Makoto and Ami. Eventually she made her way back to Usagi's house and back up the tree to her original perch where she continued her thoughts. She was happy that the curtains were now open and was able to see that Usagi was sleeping, and that this time there was no tossing and turning or coughing.

_I wonder why Rei lied about what happened at the fight near the temple. Could she just have been so angry and annoyed with Usagi that she wanted to get her into trouble? Maybe get satisfaction from seeing her get in trouble?_ she thought as she gazed at Usagi's sleeping form. _Is it my attitude that makes her think it's okay for her to lie to me and to think she could get away with it? How many times has she lied to me before? How many times has she twisted the facts in her favor? How many times have I gotten angry with Usagi and chastised her for doing what a leader is supposed to do?_ Luna thought sadly.

Luna wondered when Rei began to tell her lies and when she had become so angry. She knew that being the senshi of Mars allowed her to channel her feelings of anger into her power, but she had never been like this before. She use to be nice to Usagi and tease her playfully about nonsense, but now she seemed to always be irritated, annoyed, and angry with her.

_Maybe the real problem isn't between Usagi and the girls but Usagi and Rei._ she thought with a sigh as she considered what she knew so far. It seemed that Makoto and Ami were just following after Rei instead of thinking for themselves. _I certainly hope that changes. The girls need to think and act for themselves and not let someone lead them. At least not in that sense._ she thought with a yawn.

She was clearly becoming sleepy, so she shifted her position to get as comfortable as possible, but paused when she saw something she hadn't noticed before. A red rose attached to a rolled up paper lay on Usagi's pillow next to her head. Why hadn't she noticed that when she first arrived?

Luna realized that she had been too caught up in her thoughts to have noticed it. Seeing that rose there worried her. Her mind immediately went to Tuxedo Kamen having put it there, because it didn't look as if Usagi had put it there herself. It looked to have been placed carefully there so that she would notice it when she woke up. Did that mean that Tuxedo Kamen knew that Usagi was Sailor Moon? And if that was the case, how did he find out? How did he know where she lived? How did he get in?

Luna forced herself to stay awake that night. She wanted to be aware for when Usagi woke up and see how she reacted to the rose and roll of paper. She knew she could be reading too much into it. Perhaps it was from her father. Maybe she had a secret admirer and it had been left in the mailbox and one of her parents had left it there for her. She doubted either of those options.

Finally, a little after it became light out, Usagi began to stir. Luna watched as Usagi noticed the rose and paper and knew from her reaction that it was definitely not from her father or some anonymous admirer. She watched as Usagi read what was on the paper, and judged by how long she stared at the paper, that it must have been a letter. She continued to watch, her keen eyes able to see the tears trailing from her eyes and along her skin. The sight sadden her. She wondered what the letter said to give her that reaction.

Luna watched as Usagi put the letter in her nightstand and turn toward the balcony. She pressed herself flat against the bark of the branch she perched on and made sure she was hidden by the leaves. She was confused. Usagi looked so sad and yet she kept the rose out and close to her.

She sighed as she watched Usagi cry herself to sleep. This was just another piece of information, a very serious piece, but still a piece of information to go along with all she had been learning. She wondered what Tuxedo Kamen planned to do about his information on Usagi. Ami and Makoto had said that it was clear that he cared very much for Sailor Moon and wasn't happy about the way she had been treated. He obviously didn't need to be told of her importance as a senshi. He seemed to know it better then the girls.

As the sky turned brighter and brighter Luna began to consider Tuxedo Kamen more and more. Perhaps Usagi was right when she said that he wasn't their enemy. How many times had he saved Sailor Moon's life? How many times had she overheard him giving Sailor Moon encouragement?

She considered him and the rainbow crystals they were trying to collect. It really wasn't fair of them to judge him so harshly as to label him an enemy because he was collecting them. He could have a good reason for doing it. They didn't know. Just like he didn't know why _they_ were collecting them. He could have easily labeled them as an enemy and left Sailor Moon to her own devices when she was in mortal danger all this time.

Luna frowned at that thought. How many times would Usagi have been seriously injured or dead if he hadn't been there to save her?

As she was processing these thoughts she hadn't been paying attention to how much time had been passing, so she had been a little surprised when she looked down to see Mamoru walk pass the front gate and toward the front door. She looked back to Usagi only to see a lump under the covers. She realized that Usagi must have woken up while she was lost in thought, but now she couldn't tell if she was awake or not.

She watched Mamoru enter Usagi's room and begin to speak, then move to close the curtains and put something even darker over it, unknowingly blocking her view. She was a little worried but Mrs. Tsukino was in the house and she wouldn't let them be alone if she didn't trust him in some way. With that thought she wondered what Mrs. Tsukino knew about the two of them or at least what she knew about Mamoru to feel comfortable enough to let him be alone with her daughter.

Luna stayed for a while, hoping that the curtains would open again, but they didn't and she decided to leave to go find Ami and Makoto to see if they knew why Usagi was at home. She also wanted to see if they realized that their friend was sick, and if they knew that Mamoru was visiting her. Now that she thought about it perhaps it was one of them had given him her address. She knew that it hadn't been Rei to do it. She liked the young man too much and probably would have changed the subject in a way to distract him from what he wanted so she wouldn't have to give it to him. Not that she thought that would work on Mamoru; he was too smart for that.

She ended up making her way to Makoto's place first. She took her time climbing the fire escape and carefully walked along the edge, passing windows until she reached one of Makoto's. She could see her in the kitchen moving around, most likely cooking. She tapped with her claws until she got the lightening senshi's attention and hopped in when she came and opened the window.

"Luna! Where have you been? I haven't seen you since you spent the night over here." Makoto said as they moved to the kitchen.

"I've been hanging around Usagi's house trying to judge the best time to try and talk to her." Luna said as she jumped up to the kitchen table.

"So you've noticed that she's sick." Makoto said as she cracked eggs into a bowl.

"Yes. She's been coughing and sleeping a lot from what I've been able to see." Luna said with a sigh. "How did you know she was sick."

"Ami and I have been worried about her ever since she disappeared from school on Thursday. This morning we finally called her house to see if she was okay. Her mom told us that she has a bad cold. She said that she's been sleeping a lot, coughing, and hardly eats. She also told us that Usagi's lost her voice." she said.

"Oh no. Poor Usagi." Luna said, shaking her head sadly.

"Yeah. Me, Ami, and Rei are going to visit her tomorrow, so you should come with us and try to talk to her then. That's what we're going to try to do." Makoto said as she stirred the contents of her bowl. "Well, me and Ami are going to try. We had to talk Rei into it, and who knows what she's been thinking." she added with a frustrated sigh.

"I haven't seen Rei since the meeting we had. Is she still acting the same?" Luna asked.

"Ugh! Yes. At first she didn't want to go see her because she didn't want to get sick. She complained that we wouldn't be at one hundred percent if we had to go fight and that she didn't want to get Mamoru sick." she explained, her irritation coming back as she began to place spoonfuls of her mix on a cookie sheet. "From there she changed the subject and started going on about trying to get him to go on a date with her." she finished.

"I don't think Mamoru is concerned about getting sick. I've seen him visiting Usagi twice now." Luna said, watching Makoto's reaction carefully.

"Really? We thought, well me and Ami thought that he must have known because he came to our class yesterday and talked to Ms. H. We think he was picking up Usagi's homework." she said as she finished loading the cookie sheet. "After what we heard from Rei today we decided against telling her about that." she added.

Luna nodded her head, thinking that was a wise choice with how Rei had been acting.

"I wonder how he knew Usagi was sick in the first place." Luna said idly.

"We've been wondering that ourselves." Makoto said as she opened the oven door and slid the sheet inside. She checked the time after closing the oven door and made a mental note on when to check on it.

"So what are you making?" Luna asked curiously.

"Chocolate chip cookies. A peace offering for Usagi to start tomorrow off on a good note. I hope she's not so sick that she doesn't have an appetite for them." Makoto answered.

"Makoto," Luna began as the tall girl came to sit at the table with her. "how have things been going in terms of the Senshi?" she asked. "I know you guys told me about the fight where Tuxedo Kamen showed up but has there been anymore? How are you fairing without Usagi?"

Luna watched Makoto sigh tiredly before relating the last fight they had been in and how it had gone. She compared Makoto's version to what she had seen with her own eyes and was happy that she didn't leave out or change a single detail. Makoto even told her about her changing opinion of Tuxedo Kamen although she still wasn't too sure of him because of his collecting the crystals.

She considered telling her about the rose and Usagi's letter, but thought better of it. If Usagi was going to learn of her keeping watch over her then she would learn it from Luna herself and not second hand. Usagi was angry enough with her. Besides, it was Usagi's business and even though she wasn't completely sold on Tuxedo Kamen's character, she would leave that particular event alone. She didn't want to tell the girls in an attempt to protect her and have them doing something drastic to keep him away from her. Or ruin the little help they were getting in Usagi's absence.

After the cookies were done ad their conversation began to lag, Luna began to drift off to sleep as Makoto began to load the sheet with more dough. She had been awake entirely too long.

The next thing she knew she was waking up to the sound of Makoto's alarm clock and the shifting of the mattress. Makoto must have brought her there after she fell asleep. After Makoto got dressed and packed up the cookies they left and made their way to Usagi's house. They met Ami and Rei out front before they all walked up to the front door.

**Ikuko's POV**

Ikuko hummed as she dusted the living room and listened to the news as it played on the T.V. She wondered when Usagi would wake up. She was really anxious to know how her little girl was doing. She thought about making her something to eat for when she woke up, but she didn't know what Usagi would want or what her stomach and throat could handle.

She hoped that her little girl had gotten a good nights sleep. She and Kenji had been worried when they heard her coughing the night before a little after he had checked on her for the night. She had wanted to check on her since she had sounded close, but she held herself back considering the fact that Usagi could have been going to the bathroom.

With a sigh Ikuko decided that she should start dinner and began to think about what to cook when she heard a knock on the door. She put her duster down and hurried to the door. When she looked through the peek hole she saw Mamoru standing there and smiled as she opened the door for him.

She was glad to see him. Usagi always seemed to feel better after he visited. Plus, he seemed like a nice young man and she wasn't blind to the way he looked at her daughter.

Ikuko asked him in and told him that Usagi was still asleep the last time she checked, but that she might be awake by now. She nearly smiled at his hesitant question and nodded at his explanation. She was well aware of her husbands over protectiveness, but she wouldn't let him interfere with this young man's budding relationship with her daughter.

Usagi had never brought a boy home for them to meet and although she hadn't technically _brought_ him home, she was still going to welcome him and get to know him. She already liked what she saw of him so far, which was why she allowed him to be in her daughters room alone with the door closed. It wasn't everyday that a good guy like that would bring a girl home and take care of her when her own mother was so overwhelmed with panic.

She assured Mamoru that her husband was not home, but that he would be back in the next hour or two and that she would keep him away so he didn't have to be worried. She couldn't help giving him a knowing smile that only became more pronounced as she watched him blush lightly.

She decided to go up there in a few minutes to check and see if Usagi was awake, and if she was then she would find out if her little girl needed anything. To pass the time she went back to dusting and straightening up the living room, and continued thinking about dinner, allowing herself to vaguely wonder if Mamoru would be staying for that.

Ikuko eventually made her way up to her daughters bedroom ad even though Usagi had lost her voice she could tell that she had interrupted their conversation. She pretended not to notice the rose in her daughters hair as she questioned how she was feeling that day. She hadn't see Mamoru carrying it but that didn't mean he hadn't had it on him somewhere. She thought it was a sweet and romantic gesture. Her daughter obviously liked it to have it in her hair on display.

As she read Usagi's response to her question on how she was doing, she again ignored Mamoru's move to comfort her daughter, but couldn't ignore the intensity of their locked gaze. It looked almost as if they had forgotten she was standing there. _They probably have._ She thought as she smiled at the sight. If she had had any doubts about their feelings, his in particular, they were put to rest at what she was witnessing.

She could hardly believe that this romance was taking shape under her roof, because these intense looks hadn't been happening the first time she saw Mamoru.

The excited mother hated to interrupt but she really did need to find out what Usagi wanted to eat if she was hungry. As soon as she spoke they seemed to snap out of their private world and answer her. Mamoru was the first, although he didn't move away, and then Usagi, telling her to pick something for her that wouldn't be too much for her to handle.

She then left the room, smiling widely as she descended the stairs to the kitchen to fetch her daughter some orange juice. By the time she made it back with the juice, Mamoru had regained his seat but she didn't think he would stay away long. Once back down in the kitchen she decided that some veggie soup would be good for her little girl. As she gathered some pre-made broth and fresh vegetables she remembered how Mamoru had brought her daughter home and handled the situation.

Ikuko had been so panicked that she could barely think straight. Usagi had never been so sick before. She hadn't been around anyone that sick in her life so she had no experience in such a situation and was extremely grateful that Mamoru had known what to do. However, even amongst her panic she had seen how gently he tended to her daughter. She had been happy to make him those cookies. It was the least she could do to show her thanks.

She remembered her panic coming back the next day when she learned that Usagi's eyes were sensitive to light and that she had lost her voice. She had been so relieved when Mamoru showed up with Usagi's homework. She hadn't even thought about what Usagi would be missing at school in her worry.

She remembered yesterday when he had left early, she had been surprised and sad. She had been expecting and wanting him to stay longer. She had also been curious as to why he was so happy when he left. She had a feeling that it had to do with Usagi. Perhaps they had talked about their feelings. That would explain the rose she had seen in her daughters hair and the looks they were giving each other.

Ikuko brought up the soup and had decided to bring crackers to go with it, then left the two youngsters alone. Back downstairs she finished cleaning up the living room, turned off the T.V., and headed to the kitchen to begin dinner. She had decided to make baked chicken with some kind of rice and vegetables.

As she cleaned and then seasoned the chicken she wondered what was going on up in her daughters room. Were they discussing plans for when she was better? Maybe planning their first date? She wondered where they would go and what they would do. Maybe a diner and a movie. Or a dinner and a moonlit walk in the park. Maybe lunch and an easy talk in a café afterward?

_I would never even hint this to Kenji but maybe he'll cook her dinner at his place and then afterward they'll curl up together and watch a movie or some show on T.V._ she considered with a smile and a light laugh as she put the chicken in the oven. _I'll have to get to know him better if something like that is going to happen._ she thought as she set the timer and placed it off to the side on the counter.

Just as she was about to tackle the vegetables she heard a knock on the door for the second time that day. She wiped her hands and hurried to answer it. Looking through the peek hole she saw three girls. She gasped as she remembered Usagi's friends calling yesterday. She had completely forgotten about the call. She had been too distracted with trying to guess why Mamoru had been so happy.

She opened the door and welcomed them in. She was surprised to see Luna in the tall girls arms, Makoto if she remembered correctly. She hadn't seen the little cat for days and had been concerned at first, but Usagi's health was upper most in her mind and Mamoru's daily visits had put it out of her mind completely.

She happily informed the girls that her daughter was awake and that they could go on up.

The thought to inform them that she wasn't alone up there hadn't even crossed her mind.

**Author's Notes****: I'm not sure what to describe this chapter as. I just thought that Usagi's mom and Luna's points of view of what has been happening needed to be put out there.**


	10. Visits and Apologies

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

Visits and Apologies

There were so many things going through Usagi's mind as she looked the girls over that she could barely make sense of them. She lay completely still in her bed, her eyes flickering over all the girls and Luna wondering what they could be thinking from their facial expressions. It wasn't really working and she shifted her tired eyes to Mamoru instead before she began to write.

**This was highly unexpected. I'm not ready to deal with them yet! What am I going to do?!** She wrote and pushed her notebook against Mamoru to get his attention.

Mamoru turned back to Usagi and frowned down at the paper as he read her agitated words. "Do you _really_ want me to answer that?" he asked with a significant tilt of his head toward the girls in her doorway.

Usagi frowned at his words and pulled her notebook back around toward her and began to write out a response.

**No. It's just I didn't expect to have to deal with them right now, and I don't want them to know about us yet. There's so much I wanted you to know before a situation like this happened. You haven't even had a chance to deal with Rei yet. And oh my god! What about the rose?! What am I suppose to tell them about that? I can just imagine Luna flipping out…** she wrote, but paused as Makoto interrupted her thought.

"Ummm…Usagi-chan? Can we come in?" she heard Makoto ask and looked up from her writing. She nodded slowly and waved them in before getting back to her writing.

…**over the fact that you were here. I mean that Tuxedo Kamen was here.**

Mamoru picked up the notebook as he heard the door close and leaned his back against Usagi's bed so that the girls couldn't try to read her words.

"What are you doing here Mamoru?" Rei asked with a curious yet highly annoyed voice.

Mamoru looked up at her, his usual annoyed expression easily slipping back into place, tinged with irritation. "I'm visiting Odango." he stated simply, purposely using his nickname for her.

"But why? You've never visited her before." Rei said as she watched him sitting there.

_How would she know?! Not like I would have told her if he had._ Usagi thought as she closed her eyes, trying to block out what was to come. She had hoped to spend the day with Mamoru alone, not deal with people who didn't like her for who she was.

"She's sick. Isn't that enough reason to visit her?" Mamoru asked as he began to read Usagi's words. He frowned at the words before looking over to Usagi and gesturing for her to hand over her pen.

"But how did you know she was sick?" Makoto asked as she looked from Mamoru to Usagi and back again. She sighed lightly since neither of their faces betrayed anything that might have been going on before they arrived.

"When I went to the arcade a few days ago Motoki asked me to make sure Odango made it home since she wasn't looking to good." he explained, leaving out the part where he was worried because he knew she had a fever from the day before. "So I went after her since I was curious as to why she was out of school at such a time. I caught up with her and got to her just before she collapsed. I brought her home since she was in no condition to get here herself." he finished.

"Well I'm kinda surprised. I didn't think you'd care to visit the Odango after you'd gotten her here." Rei said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Look, I may be a jerk to her but that doesn't mean I don't care when something happens to her! That's hardly the attitude of someone studying to be a doctor." he snapped. He'd be the first to admit that he wasn't the nicest person to Usagi, but he had always been concerned when he felt something was wrong with her. He just wasn't the type to broadcast what he was feeling, and he really wasn't concerned with anyone else knowing. As long as Usagi knew, that was enough!

Mamoru was pulled out of his thoughts as he heard Usagi begin to cough. He looked over to see her bury her face into her pillow as her body shook with the force of it. The cough continued and he shifted to his knees, slipped his hand beneath her hair, and began to rub her back to help her through her never ending cough.

"I'm sure Mrs. Tsukino told you what some of her symptoms were. This is the kind of cough she's had to deal with." he said as her cough finally began to die down.

He could feel her labored breathing as he continued to rub her back and knew that she was trying to catch her breath without triggering another cough. He watched as she slowly turned back on her side and he frowned sadly at the tear tracks on her face. He wanted so badly to wipe them away, but that would give away their new found closeness and neither of them wanted that.

Luckily Usagi seemed to understand his expression and unvoiced thoughts because she gave him a fractional smile and reached under her pillow and pulled out a cough drop.

Mamoru looked down to the notebook he was holding to his chest with his free arm and back to her with a question in his eyes. He wanted to know if she would mind him stopping to respond to her words.

Usagi understood and nodded her head as she dropped the cough drop in her mouth and tossed the wrapper on her nightstand, and watched as he sat back down and began to write.

"So…you've been visiting with Usagi everyday since you brought her home?" Ami asked quietly.

"Yes." Mamoru answered, not looking up from his writing. "I'm sure Mrs. Tsukino mentioned that Odango lost her voice and I'm sure she is taking good care of Usagi, but she can't be with her every minute of the day. Odango wouldn't be able to call to her if she needed something, and with how tired she's been, who knows how long it would take her to get her mother or get whatever she needed in the first place." he finished at the same time he finished writing.

"**Isn't Luna your cat? And how come I haven't seen her around here until just now? You don't have to speak to them, and you don't owe them an explanation. If they persist in their questions about the rose, just tell them that you don't know. Or just tell them the truth of sorts. You woke up and it was there. They obviously came here to see you. Either to see how you were doing or to talk about your problems. I think you should hear them out, and see if they are ready to give you an apology you can accept."**

Usagi read Mamoru's response and frowned as she took the pen back from him and started writing.

**Like I said before, there's so much I wanted you to know before something like this happened.** she wrote with a sigh. **Luna is my cat but she only became my cat because she was my guardian. You see, Luna is the one who made me Sailor Moon. It happened the day you and I met. An hour or so later actually. After I quit I locked my balcony window, making it clear that she was no longer welcomed. She was only here because she's the guardian of the Senshi, and since I'm no longer one there was no reason for her to stay. Not to mention her attitude toward me was as bad if not worse then the rest of them. And you're right. I don't owe them an explanation, but if I tell them that I woke up and the rose was here then they might worry. You remember that they don't trust you right? Well, they might decide to start keeping a watch on my house or have Luna do it if she's not already doing it. If that happens then you won't be able to make any late night appearances like last night. Hmmm…that's a disturbing thought. Do you think she might have seen you when you came those two nights? And have I told you how much I like your handwriting?**

"Ummm…Mamoru-san? Do you mind if we speak to Usagi for a while? We don't mean to interrupt your visit, we just wanted to speak to her privately for a few minutes." Ami said apologetically. She really didn't want to interrupt them, but who knew when they would get a chance to talk to Usagi after this.

"Yeah. I'll leave as soon as Odango's done writing to me." he answered as he read.

"**Wow. A cat turned you into Sailor Moon. I'm surprised. I shouldn't be with all that I've seen, but I am. I'd really love to hear exactly how that went. I can't even imagine your reactions. As for the rose problem, well I hadn't thought they would watch your house if you said that. I hadn't realized the extent of how much they didn't trust me. I suppose you could just tell them that I gave it to you. You know, as a way to cheer you up. I don't know, but I would really like to make another night time visit. Less chance we would be interrupted. More privacy too, so I'm hoping that she didn't see. Wouldn't she have told the others if she saw me? At least Tuxedo Kamen me? I'm not sure relaying the fact that regular old Mamoru snuck into your bedroom in the middle of the night is something that they need to know about, especially with Rei's crush. Hmm…maybe she'll keep that to herself if she did. Is there anyway to find out without revealing anything? As for my writing, I'm glad you like it. I've never paid any attention to it, but since you like it I can start writing you letters if you want."**

"Why aren't you talking instead of writing?" Rei asked. "There's nothing wrong with your voice." she added after a moments pause as she watched him place the notebook and pen back in front of Usagi.

"Because this is a private conversation." he stated, not elaborating as he looked up at her. It was none of her damn business what he was writing to Usagi. She may feel that she had the right to know since she was a friend of Usagi's or whatever she considered herself to be, but she wasn't his friend or his girlfriend and he wasn't the type to dish out personal information and details of a private conversation to someone he considered an acquaintance and nothing more. Especially when said acquaintance was part of the reason his friend and new girlfriend was in so much emotional pain.

Usagi nearly rolled her eyes at Rei's question. It wasn't any of her business what Mamoru was writing to her. _At least she's just being nosy instead of angry, but then she's probably hiding it because of Mamoru._ she thought as she began to read his response.

**You won't really leave will you?! The house I mean. Not that I want you to leave my room either. And…I'll be happy to tell you all about it as soon as I can get rid of the girls. I'll listen to what they have to say but if they're not really sorry I won't accept any apologies. And I agree about the late night visits. I think she would have told them if she saw Tuxedo Kamen here. She might even have confronted you as well. So maybe she didn't. I don't know. I'll try and find out without revealing anything. I don't know what I'll say exactly but I'll think of something if I have to about the rose. As for the letters, I would like that. You won't always be able to come visit me, so something to read from you would be nice. Or like when you leave to go home, since I can't talk on the phone with you I could read something from you instead. Gah! I need my voice back! I've never wanted to talk to you so badly before.**

Mamoru accepted the notebook and pen and began to read Usagi's lengthy response. He loved that she didn't want him to leave. It sent a comforting thrill through his body. He hoped whatever she said about the rose would keep the girls from watching her house at night. Even when she wasn't sick anymore he could still see himself coming to hangout with her at night.

He also liked the idea about the letters, and she had just given him an idea of when exactly to start giving them to her and what he might write. He nearly smiled at her last sentence. He wanted to hear her voice as much as she wanted to use it to speak to him. He couldn't wait to until she got it back. Then he could hear all the different tones and pitches in her voice that came with talking to her boyfriend.

"**I won't leave. I'll just go hangout with your mom or something. I seriously hope your dad isn't home. That is one meeting I am ****really**** not ready to have yet. As for the letters, you'll have another one soon. And I really hope you get your voice back soon. I miss hearing it."** he wrote and paused as he looked up to see all the girls looking at him. He looked to over to his girlfriend and saw sadness in her eyes. He suppressed a sigh and continued to write. **"-sigh- I guess I should get out of here so they can talk to you now."**

Usagi sighed, unable to hold it back, after reading Mamoru's words. She closed her eyes as she picked up her pen and hoped fervently that her father wasn't home either. She had enough stress to deal with right now without having to worry about her father kicking her Mamoru out of the house.

She hadn't been able to hold back the sigh, but she did manage to hold back the smile that was threatening to surface as she remembered his words about missing her voice.

**I guess you're right. I might as well get this over with. And I hope for both our sakes that my father isn't home. I can't ****wait**** for that letter.=) And its nice to know that you miss my voice. I hope you remember that when I'm back to being my loud self.** she wrote and pushed the notebook to him.

Mamoru smirked at his girlfriends last sentence. He remembered the last time he had heard her be so loud and he nearly laughed. He wondered if her loudness would effect him more intensely since they were together now. He hoped so. He hadn't told her yet, but he liked it when she was loud. It usually meant she was irritated or angry with him, so he was sure to see that blue fire in her eyes that he loved so much.

"Don't worry Odango." he said as he placed her notebook back in front of her. "I won't forget." he said as he began to get to his feet, but paused when he felt her small hand grab his arm and begin to write.

**Will you rip out the pages I've written on and take them with you? It's just that…well, I don't think they would read through them, but then again I didn't think they would turn on me the way they did either.**

Mamoru read her words and frowned but nodded his assent. It was a smart move considering what they had been talking about before her friends showed up. He didn't think Ami and Makoto would read through the pages, but he wouldn't put it pass Rei to try it with what he knew about her and with what Usagi had recently told him.

"Including this one?" he asked, holding on to the page she had written her request on, and watched as she nodded. With that assurance he carefully pulled the pages out, folded the little pile in half and repeated the action before placing the notebook back in front of her and getting to his feet.

"I'll just take this and these with me so they're not in your way." he said as he grabbed her empty bowl and cough drop wrappers, giving her a look that clearly said he wanted to kiss her before he left.

Usagi blinked at the look in Mamoru's eyes and smiled tiredly as she struggled to contain her blush. The look he gave her was a mild version of the one she had been drowning in earlier when her mother was in the room. She mentally sighed as she watched him leave and close the door quietly before she brought her gaze back to the girls.

"How are you feeling?" Usagi's eyes shifted to Ami as she heard her question, then looked to her notebook and began to write.

**Tired. Weak. My throat feels raw, although its doing a little better then it was earlier, and my stomach hurts. Oh yeah, and I've got a headache.** she wrote and handed the notebook to Ami and listened as she read it to the others before giving it back.

**What are you guys doing here?** she wrote and gave the notebook to Ami.

"She wants to know why we're here." Ami announced as she gave the notebook back.

"We called yesterday to see how you were doing since you hadn't been in school. Your mom told us that you were sick so we decided to come visit." Makoto explained.

_Mom didn't mention any calls. But it's something I guess. It's a start._ she thought as she looked to each of them with weary eyes. _There were times when I was so tired but they just assumed I was being lazy._ she thought as her eyes landed on Rei. _She doesn't look like she wants to be here. She should just leave if that's the case._ she thought with a sigh as she began to write.

**Thanks. I'm doing as well as can be expected.** she wrote and handed Ami the notebook since she was the closest. She listened as Ami repeated her words and handed back her notebook.

"Why do you have this up here?" she heard Rei ask as she pulled the dark covering aside to get to her curtains and get to the glass doors of the balcony.

**The light hurts my eyes.** she wrote and handed the notebook to Ami once again just before she started to cough. She covered her mouth and closed her eyes to try to block out the pain as her cough continued. She barely heard Ami's soft voice read her words to the others.

Eventually her cough ended and she wiped away the tears that had escaped before reaching under her pillow for a cough drop.

"You okay?" Makoto asked as she moved forward and sat on the floor in front of her, and watched as she nodded while tossing the wrapper on her nightstand. "I made these for you." she added as she lifted the package up so Usagi could see. "They're chocolate chip cookies." she continued with a smile. "You're mom said that you weren't eating much but I wanted to make them for you anyway." she finished as she placed the package on her nightstand, shifting her orange juice to sit in front of it.

**Thanks Makoto. I've been living off of orange juice, oatmeal and soup, so these would be a nice change if my throat can handle them. I'm sure they'll be as great as ever.** she wrote and pushed the notebook toward her. She watched as Makoto read the words silently and smiled as she gave her notebook back.

There was an awkward silence after that. Makoto looked like she wanted to speak but didn't know what to say, Ami looked reluctant and shy to speak with the others around, and she couldn't tell what Rei looked like since she was still looking out the window, and her profile wasn't giving anything away. Luna's furry face never gave anything away unless she wanted it to, so Usagi wasn't surprised there was nothing to see. Usagi herself couldn't speak and she didn't have anything to say to them anyway so she was content to lay there quietly until they either felt the need to leave or finally decide to apologize.

Usagi closed her eyes and concentrated on dissolving her cough drop as she wondered what Mamoru was doing. Was he sitting in the living room watching T.V or nothing at all? Was he really hanging out with her mom; possibly talking about her? And if so, was it about her health or their relationship? She knew her mother couldn't have missed the heated look between them.

_Would it really be so bad if mom knew? I know it would be with dad but not her. She's obviously fine with us being alone in my bedroom with him not being my boyfriend. I don't think it would be any different with his status having changed._ she considered as she moved the cough drop around her mouth.

_Maybe its time mom and I had a talk. It's been so long since I've been able to tell her anything real about my life. And this would be good news too. Plus, she might be able to understand the little I can tell her about my problem with the girls._ she considered. _And if this impromptu and unwanted meeting doesn't go well then maybe she can keep the girls from doing this again. Maybe…_ her thought came to a screeching halt at the sound of Luna's voice.

"Where did you get that rose Usagi?" the feline asked sharply as if Tuxedo Kamen was the first person to come to mind.

Usagi slowly opened her eyes, realizing immediately that even with her thoughts she had been dozing off. She also noticed that the girls were looking at her as well, even Rei, as if they had been wondering the same thing but didn't want to be the one to ask.

_Okay. What's it going to be Usagi? That you woke up and it was just there or that Mamoru gave it to you? Hmmm… maybe I'll go with something else altogether. I could say my dad gave it to me. But then Mamoru said he would give me one for each visit. If we work things out today they might be here more often and notice the pile getting bigger but that my dad never seems to give me one while they're here._ she considered as she looked down at her notebook.

_I'll just go with the partial truth. That Mamoru gave it to me._ she thought as she began to write. She would give them a short and simple response. Mamoru was right. She didn't owe them an explanation and she wasn't going to go into detail. They had lost her confidence and didn't deserve it. But then she remembered that they didn't really have it to begin with as she remembered the star locket, her mysterious dreams, her hidden intelligence, her feelings about knowing she wouldn't have an easy carefree adulthood. _Plus, if Luna had seen him come as Tuxedo Kamen then she would know I was lying and so would the girls if she told them. But if she saw does that mean she knows about the letter?_

**Mamoru gave it to me.** The words were big enough for Luna to read since she was sitting at the end of her bed, but apparently it was large enough for Rei's eyes as well.

"Why would he give _you_ a rose?" Rei asked condescendingly. "He never gave me any flowers." she added and Usagi wondered if the others heard the jealousy in her voice.

The way Rei was looking at her made it clear that she expected an answer so she gave her one.

**You'll have to ask him.** She scribbled out and handed the notebook to Makoto and listened as she read it to the others. They watched Rei look toward the bedroom door with narrowed eyes and then begin to move toward it.

Usagi quickly began to write and just as quickly handed the notebook back to Makoto.

"Wait! She says that if you're going to do that she'd appreciate it if you didn't make a scene in front of her mother."

Rei paused and blushed in embarrassment and shame since she knew that was exactly what she was about to do, or at least that was what would have happened.

Usagi watched as Rei gave a frustrated and slightly impatient sigh and moved back to stand next to the balcony window.

After that display there was more silence as everyone was left to their thoughts. She wondered if Rei would really badger Mamoru about the single flower, and was very glad that the temperamental girl hadn't seen the other roses. Rei treated or at least made it sound like she owned Mamoru or had a right to control who he spent his time with and gave gifts to.

As Usagi lay there dissolving her cough drop she frowned. It was becoming clear to her that she was not content to lay there until they decided to speak or leave. She could be spending her time with Mamoru! It didn't matter that he had been trying to get her to be Sailor Moon again. She was still wondering why he wanted her to be back out there fighting. Didn't he realize that she would just be in the way? That she would make a mistake and someone would die?

Besides, he wouldn't have to worry about her. He could focus on the rainbow crystals and finding his princess and his identity. He wouldn't have to worry about her getting hurt if he was distracted or didn't reach her in time.

With those thoughts she began to think about what he had told her about his reoccurring dream and the princess. Could he have known her? The Senshi were suppose to be her body guards, so what did that make him? What would happen when he found her? What would that mean for them?

Usagi closed her eyes in pain. She didn't like the turn of her thoughts because she knew that there was a possibility that it would end what they had just discovered between themselves. She wondered if he ever thought about that. If he wondered if he had been close to the mysterious princess.

They needed to talk. It was bad enough that she felt pain over the dream man that looked like he could be Mamoru's twin. She didn't want to add on to the pain. She'd rather end it now then experience a more severe pain later, but she wouldn't do anything until she spoke with him. Perhaps he wouldn't want the princess. She was a stranger after all. But then why would he choose her over royalty?

Usagi opened her eyes and put her pen to the paper. She needed to speak to Mamoru. She needed her boyfriend and if they were just going to sit in silence then she was going to tell them to go. When she finished writing she handed the notebook to Makoto and waited.

Makoto had been alternating between wondering if there was something going on between Usagi and Mamoru with him giving her a rose, and wondering how best to say what was on her mind in regards to an apology when Usagi gave her notebook to her.

The brunette was surprised and sorry at the words she read. Here they were sitting in silence taking up her visiting time with Mamoru. He probably had other things to do later and this time he had with her was short.

"Sorry." she murmured with an apologetic smile before addressing the others. "She says that if we're just going to sit here in silence then we should leave. Mamoru won't be able to stay all day and she wants to finish her visit with him before she falls asleep since she's tired."

"We're sorry Usagi." Luna said, and Usagi's eyes shifted to the feline. "But you have to understand. It's awkward trying to speak with the way things were left between us. I'm sure that the girls are simply trying to organize their thoughts." she tried to explain.

"She's right." Makoto said as she handed the notebook back. "At least for me anyway. I was trying to decide on how I wanted to say what I came here to say." she explained and paused as she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She couldn't believe how nervous she was! "Usagi I'm…" Usagi held up a hand to stop her before writing.

**If you're trying to apologize then I want to talk to you alone. In fact, if that's what the others are going to try then I want to speak to them alone as well. Including Luna. I just want to make sure that you all know exactly what the problem is, and aren't relying on each other to help with the apology. Besides, you guys might feel more comfortable without the others listening. You don't have to tell them all this. Just say that I want each of you to speak to me alone if you don't mind.**

After reading her words Makoto relayed the end of Usagi's request and added on that they could keep Mamoru company, which turned out to be enough incentive for Rei to head toward the door. Ami took her queue to leave as well since she could see that Makoto was going to go first. She quickly scooped up Luna and exited the room, closing the door behind her, since she looked as if she was going to argue her right to stay. She didn't want to risk upsetting Usagi in her condition and with the situation they were in she wouldn't take any chances.

* * *

"Okay, so now we're alone." Makoto said with a little nervous laugh that quickly died as she looked at Usagi's tired but suddenly serious face. "Right." she sighed. "Usagi I'm so very sorry for the way I've been acting. I don't know…I'm not sure when exactly it happened but I lost myself." she said and paused as she tried to think of how she wanted to frame her next words.

"There was an attack friday night." she began in a low voice, not wanting Usagi's mom to hear if she was near the door. "Tuxedo Kamen showed up and helped us defeat the youma then asked us if we had spoken to you about our…situation, you know, since Ami had told him what you asked us to tell him the last time we saw him. And before that he wanted to know where you were since you hadn't showed up at the fight. Rei had told him that you quit because you couldn't handle it, but Ami set him straight as soon as the words were out of her mouth. She didn't go into detail about what was said, just that you had quit because we were having problems and because you were afraid you were going to get someone killed."

"Anyway, he asked because, well he'd been really angry and defensive about what happened near the temple, and I guess he hoped that after giving us his point of view of what he saw we would talk to you and make things right. But the problem was…we didn't know what to say to you, and you'd already told Ami that we needed to think things over before talking to you." she explained with a sigh.

"So he sorta gave us this motivational speech. Said he thought we would be able to work through our problems because if we couldn't then we wouldn't have even met let alone been grouped together the way we have. Then he told us that we worked well together even if we couldn't see it, and that that was how he knew we would work through our problems and be stronger because of it."

"Later that night I couldn't sleep because I had so many things on my mind, so I'd taken that time to think about how I'd been behaving toward you since that's what you wanted us to do. And I realized that I had hurt you and had been for a while now." Makoto said sadly.

"I thought about how I think of you as my best friend, and how I hadn't been much of a friend in return. I remembered how when we first became friends I didn't mind the way you acted. I liked your zeal for eating and was happy to have someone to cook for who really enjoyed it to the point that you did." she explained.

"I remembered how you hadn't cared about my reputation for fighting, and that made me feel really bad because I realized that I had started to judge you for all the things I had accepted about you."

"Usagi, I feel like I don't know you anymore, like we've lost touch to the point where we stopped talking about the things that interest us." she continued sadly. "I miss that. I can't talk to Ami and Rei like I can with you. Ami's just not interested and Rei, well, Rei's a bit too self absorbed to care." she added with a small shake of her head.

Makoto paused in her speech as Usagi began to cough. She watched as her friend covered her mouth with one hand and wrapped her free arm around her stomach to help stifle the pain. She wished there was something she could do, but all she could do was wait it out and make sure she was okay.

"Are you okay?" she asked once the cough ended and watched as Usagi nodded and reached for yet another cough drop while rubbing her stomach. "Okay." she said as she tried to find her thoughts.

"Well, I hate to admit it but I did forget to tell Rei to expect you to be late the other day." Makoto said shamefaced. "But when the conversation turned to you, I remembered and still said nothing. I can't even explain why I didn't say anything when you got there or stand up to defend you when Rei and Luna started in on you. And I hate that I even added on to what they said."

"I'm just…I'm really sorry for how I've been treating you and that this whole situation even had to happen. After all the thinking I've done I think I understand what happened with all of us and our situation in particular." she said thoughtfully.

"I'm still not sure how I got to this point or how any of us did. I thought back on my time as a senshi so far, and how everything had been fine and going great, at least in my opinion, until Rei started to change." she continued. "I'm not trying to blame her, it's just that I realized when Rei's playful teasing turned real and got worse, Ami and I had joined in at some point. I think that happened when Luna made you leader or around that time." she said with a thoughtful frown.

"I don't like how I've changed. I don't want to be that kind of person, and I hope that this event has helped to change me." she finished and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she waited for Usagi's response.

Usagi took a slow deep breath, needing the action but not wanting to trigger her pesky cough. She was glad that Makoto actually took the time to think about her behavior, and to think about her time as a senshi so far and how much she had changed. She also liked that Makoto had found and mentioned the point when things began to change because she had been wondering about that as well.

Usagi sighed. She didn't want to blame Rei for everything either but it did seem that Rei changed when Luna made her leader. She remembered how they all seemed to slowly get more critical of her after that and how Rei didn't like that she had been chosen as leader instead of her.

_It's like they used that as a reason for why I needed to be better at everything._ she thought with a frown as she looked at Makoto's sad yet hopeful face. _Makes me wonder how they'll react if the princess doesn't live up to their expectations. Maybe it won't matter until they actually get to know her like they did with me._ she considered somewhat bitterly.

**I'm glad and I really appreciate that you took the time to think this through before you came to speak with me.** she wrote after a few moments of considering what she wanted to say to her friend. **I also don't want to see you permanently become the kind of person you had been heading toward, and if nothing else comes out of this situation, I'm glad that it allowed you to see that about yourself and allowed you the opportunity to change.** she wrote and paused to think a little more before continuing. **I accept your apology and I hope that our friendship can move forward and be better then it was.**

"Thank you Usagi." Makoto said with a relieved smile as she finished reading the words and handed the notebook back. "You don't know how happy this makes me. I'm going to do my best to be a better friend then I have been." she promised her.

**I definitely hope you will. Now, can you send Ami up and can you not discuss any of this with the others until everyone's had their turn? If Luna doesn't manage to get her turn today then can you hold off until she has?** she wrote and handed the notebook to her happy friend.

"I promise I won't talk about this." Makoto said as she got to her feet and handed the notebook back. "Good luck with Ami and Rei. You'll definitely need it with Rei." she added before walking to the door and exiting the bedroom.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru walked down the stairs slowly and found his way to the kitchen where Mrs. Tsukino took the bowl and trash he was holding and told him to have a seat after he explained that Usagi's friends wanted to talk to her in private.

He was understandably nervous. He was about to spend who knew how long talking to Usagi's mother, and who knew when her father would show up. But never-the-less, he liked the idea of getting to know Mrs. Tsukino a bit and letting her get to know him. He thought it was a good thing considering he was now officially dating her daughter.

"So, tell me about yourself Mamoru. How old are you? Where do you go to school? That type of thing." Mrs. Tsukino encouraged as she chopped vegetables.

"I'm 18 years old. I graduated with top marks in junior high and high school. I'm in my first year at KO University, and I'm studying to be a doctor. I haven't decided what kind of doctor yet, but I figure I have some time before I need to decide. I live alone in a high rise apartment building in a quiet safe area on the other side of the park." he offered as he watched the pile of vegetables get larger.

"What about your parents?" Mrs. Tsukino asked softly.

"They died when I was a child. I don't really like talking about it." he said quietly. "But…what I am comfortable talking about is that I grew up in an orphanage, I was never adopted, and I got a job as soon as I was old enough to and moved out when I had saved enough. Then later I came into an inheritance from my father, which I've so far used to move into the place I live now and to pay for university." he explained.

"Hmm….Tell me about your friends." she asked thoughtfully, sounding as if she was still processing what he had revealed so far.

Mamoru shifted in his seat with a small frown marring his face. He was uncomfortable with the fact that he didn't really have many friends to tell her about.

_It's sad that I only have two friends, but what can I do? I'm not a people person._ he thought with a quiet sigh before he began to speak once again.

"There are a lot of people I know, but only two of them I would actually call friend. There's my best friend Motoki. We're the same age and go to the same school. His family owns a arcade/café that I spend time at when I don't feel like being at home or in the library. It's also usually the place where I see Usagi." he explained. "As for my other friend, well its Usagi." he finished.

"How did you meet Usagi?" Mrs. Tsukino asked, curious to learn about their interactions outside of her home.

Mamoru explained the incident where Usagi threw her failed test and how it landed on his head, but he was unsure if he should tell her about the nickname he had given her daughter.

_I better not. It's not exactly a nice name. Although it could have become endearing if Rei hadn't decided she wanted to mimic me and call Usagi that name as well._ he thought in slight irritation, but quickly pushed it aside and made a mental note to come up with a better, nicer nickname for his girlfriend.

"Ah…Usagi and her tests. I keep telling her to study more." she said with a humorous sigh. "So how do you feel about her, test scores aside?" she asked causally.

Mamoru's eyes widened in shock. That was the last thing he had expected. He thought if she was going to learn about his feelings for her daughter then it would be through Usagi. Or at the very least she'd guess on her own. He wasn't sure what to say…or if he should say anything!

"Okay, forget about your feelings. Tell me what you think of my daughter as a person." she said, deciding to take a different approach since he looked like he was frozen in shock.

_Should I tell her of my opinion of Usagi before I began to really get to know her? I don't want her to think badly of me, but I also want to be as honest as possible. Especially since there's a lot about our interactions that she can't know about._ he considered before he began to relate his opinion of her daughter.

Mamoru began to explain how he saw Usagi as lazy, clumsy, a crybaby, and a girl who eats like a pig, but quickly followed it by relating that he secretly liked those things about her and that he had only just recently confessed that to Usagi. He continued on by saying that he liked how she wasn't afraid to show her emotions, that she wasn't bothered by sitting around doing absolutely nothing at all, and that he definitely liked that she ate a lot. To him it seemed that all the girls he was acquainted with from school were always worried about their weight and how their body looked and that caused them to be afraid to eat properly.

"Things changed once she got sick. I've been given the chance to spend time with her away from her friends and its allowed me to see more and learn more about her that makes me like her all the more. Things I've never seen from her before." he said with a soft sigh.

"I'm learning that we have a lot in common, more then I thought I would have with someone younger then me." he added with an unconscious smile.

Mamoru watched as his girlfriends mother smiled and he decided in that moment that since he was explaining Usagi's personality in his eyes that he would go ahead and try his best to explain his feelings about the girl who held his heart.

He threw a cautious look at the kitchen door, more then a little concerned that Usagi's friends would overhear him.

"I just don't want Usagi's friends to hear what I'm about to say." he said quietly, explaining his cautious look. "I really, really like Usagi. I think I know how far my feelings go, but I'm just not ready to look that deep yet." he said, his eyes cast downward so that she wouldn't see the lie in his eyes. He knew very well how far his feelings for the blond girl went, but he didn't think her mother needed to know that information. Especially since Usagi didn't even know.

"It wasn't until these past few days that I began to realize my feelings. Just being alone with her and seeing how she is away from her friends allowed me to see the part of her that no one else gets the privilege to see. That part of her…I don't know…called to me I guess. It made me realize that there was more to my feelings for her then simple friendship." he tried to explain.

"Have you told her about your feelings?" Mrs. Tsukino asked with bright eyes.

"I have, but I don't think I should say anymore. I don't know how Usagi would feel if I did. I think she would want to tell you herself." he said uncertainly. He figured that if she was going to find out they were dating, then it would be from her daughter.

"Do you know how Mr. Tsukino would feel if he knew about all of this?" he asked suddenly, the thought popping into his head just as quickly as he had spoken.

"My husband is very protective of Usagi." Mrs. Tsukino began, trying to buy herself some time to come up with something that wouldn't scare the young man away. "I'm not exactly sure how he would react to you having feelings for our daughter, but I can tell you now that no matter what you're going to have to impress him for him to accept you." she said with a sigh.

"I think he'll like that you've been such a good student and are studying to be a doctor. What he won't like is the fact that you're four years older then Usagi and that you live alone." she added helpfully.

Meanwhile…

"Why didn't you leave me there?" Luna asked in a low tone as she, Ami, and Rei walked down the stairs.

"Usagi wanted us _all_ to leave and that included you." Ami answered. "You'll be having your turn alone with her as well, and what you should be thinking about is when exactly that is going to happen since we can't explain why we need to leave the two of you alone. You should also think about what you're going to say to Usagi as well." she reminded the black feline.

Once they reached the downstairs hall Ami and Luna paused and watched as Rei peeked into the living room and moved away, making it clear that Mamoru wasn't inside. Their eyes followed the fiery priestess as she moved to the kitchen door. A small smile floated to her face, informing them that she could hear Mamoru inside.

"Mrs. Tsukino probably wouldn't appreciate you eavesdropping and Mamoru definitely wouldn't." Ami informed Rei with a frown. "It wouldn't be a good idea if you joined them either." she added as she moved into the living room.

"I agree." Luna added her opinion as Rei reluctantly followed them into the living room. "You also need to be ready for your turn with Usagi. If you had been able to go in there you would have been interrupted anyway." she continued as she wondered if Rei would have felt embarrassed for intruding on Mamoru's conversation, especially since it would have been the second time within minutes.

"I don't have anything to apologize for, so I'd rather spend my time with Mamoru." Rei grumbled, irritated at the insinuation that she had done anything wrong.

"Mamoru chose to spend his time with Mrs. Tsukino and there's nothing you can do about it now." Luna said with a sigh as Ami settled them on the couch.

"Yes, and as far as he knew we would all be up in Usagi's room until we were done talking." Ami added as she looked at Rei.

"Even if he had stayed in here what would you talk about with him? I obviously wouldn't be able to talk and Ami barely knows him. One would think that his mind would be focused on Usagi since she's the reason he's here, so what would you all talk about?" Luna asked curiously.

"Well for starters I'd ask about that rose he gave to Usagi." Rei said with a huff.

Luna stayed quiet at those words. She believed the rose might have been from Tuxedo Kamen regardless of what Usagi had said. Still, she wasn't positive of that fact. Maybe it's a different rose. Maybe Mamoru really did give her that flower.

"Why do you have a problem with it? Usagi isn't feeling well. What's wrong with Mamoru giving his sick friend a get well flower?" Ami asked with a confused frown as she wondered why Rei was making such a big deal out of it.

"Because we can't be sure that's the real reason he gave it to her. I'd rather hear the reason from him." Rei said with a frown.

"Does the reason even matter?" Ami asked with a tired sigh.

"Yes! I want to know why he's giving flowers to someone he can barely stand instead of to someone he's dating." Rei stressed, her frown still in place. How come Mamoru never gave her a flower? Why would he give one to a girl who he constantly argued with?

"I think you need to reevaluate your understanding of Mamoru's friendship with Usagi." Luna advised quietly.

"He hasn't given me a reason to, so why should I?" she asked defiantly.

"Isn't what we saw upstairs reason enough? And if that isn't then remember how they looked together at the arcade." Ami chimed in reasonably.

The frown on Rei's face seemed to be permanent as she considered Ami's words. Now that she was really thinking about it they did seem to act differently, but she wasn't sure it was enough to justify Mamoru giving Usagi a flower. He had never even given her a flower when she wasn't feeling well, and she hadn't heard of him doing the same for any of his other female friends before. What was it about Usagi that made him act this time? Was he rewarding her for her constant irritation?

"It's your turn Ami." Makoto announced as she entered the living room and unknowingly interrupted Rei's thoughts. "Good luck." she added as she sat down on the couch.

"So what did I miss?" she asked after Ami had left the room.

* * *

Usagi looked up from fiddling with a cough drop as she heard a light knock on her slightly open bedroom door. She watched as Ami stepped in and closed the door quietly behind her.

Ami settled herself on the floor where Makoto had been previously and took a deep breath and slowly let it out before looking at her sick friend.

Usagi was already looking at her quiet friend by the time she finally brought her eyes to her. She wasn't speaking yet and Usagi thought she was trying to gather herself and push her shyness aside.

_I wonder how long it will take her to get the courage to speak and if her apology will be better then the last one._ Usagi thought as she watched Ami. _Did they talk to Mamoru? I wonder what they talked about if they did. Did Rei ask about the rose? I wonder what he said to her if she did. Did they ask about what he was talking about with her when they first came into my room? Did he tell them that it was none of their business?_ she wondered as she took a drink of her orange juice.

She wished Ami would hurry up. She needed to talk to Mamoru. She didn't want to deal with her insecurities and worries all night or until the next time she saw him. She was also worried about what would happen if he was still there when her father came home. She didn't want to know what would come of that situation and hoped that her father took his time getting home.

Just when she had put the cough drop in her mouth to try and distract herself from her thoughts, Ami decided at that moment to speak up.

"Thank you for talking to me. Well, letting me talk to you." Ami said softly.

Usagi nodded slowly as she worked to dissolve her cough drop and tried to wait patiently for Ami to continue.

"I…I've thought about a lot of things since we last talked." Ami began quietly. "I've thought about what I was like when we first met. I've thought about my time as Sailor Mercury. I've thought about my behavior from before we met and after. I thought about the conversation we had in class." she continued with a thoughtful frown.

"I've always believed that I was an intelligent person. I have even taken pride in that fact, but I'm not so sure of that anymore." she said as she shook her head slightly. "I've changed." she whispered. "It's no secret that I enjoy studying and that I care deeply about my performance in school. However, with all the thinking I've been doing I realized that I had become more then a little obsessed. I started to push my preferences on all of you." she admitted.

"I saw that you all didn't like it but then Luna, Makoto, and Rei started to voice their frustrations with you and your lack of studying, and I guess I convinced myself that all their frustrations were for you instead of some being for me."

"I've been thinking that that's when I really began to change. It…it's like…" she paused with a sigh as she tried to find the right words to explain herself. "It's like my obsession for excellent grades paved the way for me to criticize everyone's performance in everything. You of course know that it didn't work that way. I singled you out…and I'm not sure why." she said with a confused frown.

"Maybe it was constantly hearing Luna and Rei chastise you. Maybe a part of me was tired of seeing you not apply yourself more in your studies, and always seeing you late to fights. Maybe it was a combination of both of them." she said with a sigh as she watched Usagi place another cough drop in her mouth.

"You didn't deserve that kind of treatment. Especially from a friend. I know better now." Ami said sadly. "You were right when you said that we didn't care enough to ask you why you did things you did and acted the way you did. When I was thinking I considered how your…situation was similar to Makoto's when she first came. I didn't think to question her reputation. I figured it was her business and if she wanted to talk about it, then she would. Otherwise I would just leave it alone instead of doing something like complaining."

"I realized that I didn't do that with you. It didn't occur to me that you were…acting, for lack of a better word, so I didn't think of it like I did with Makoto." Usagi frowned at those words, wondering why it mattered that she was pretending most of the time. She didn't know if Makoto was "acting" so why would she treat their situations differently? Did it ever occur to her that Makoto might have created that bad girl reputation she was known for when she first arrived at their school?

"I know now that you have a reason, and I also know that I've lost the right to ask about it with the way I've treated you. Maybe I didn't even have the right to begin with." Ami continued sadly.

They sat in silence for a while after that and Usagi guessed that Ami was trying to gather her thoughts. She took the time to gather her thoughts a bit as well. She liked what she was hearing so far except that small bit about how the quiet girl thought to compare and treat her situation with Makoto's differently.

"Along with my regrettable change I know that I've lost sight of what is important. I let having more then one friend and being a senshi go to my head. I neglected one friend, my first real friend, because I had others I could call friends. I thought that being Sailor Mercury made me more important because I could locate the enemy and find their weak spot, because I could make a difference at times when no one else could." she explained.

"I made myself see that you became my friend when no one else wanted to be, and that I would not be a senshi if it weren't for you. I made myself see that being a senshi and being good in school isn't important without all my friends, and more importantly it's not important if I lose myself. If I lose who I am and who I want to be."

"And part of who I want to be is a good friend. It's obvious that I haven't been one in a long time." she said with a sigh. "It shames me to know that I was too caught up in my…self righteousness and criticism of you to realize that you were injured." Ami explained, her eyes tearing up.

"I had to find out from Mamoru of all people!" she exclaimed, her tears finally leaking from her eyes. "I know that sounds bad, but I had thought you two weren't friends and it hurts to know that he noticed when I didn't. I hated myself for that. I was disgusted! I want to be a doctor and for me not to notice something like that, with one of my own friends, is unforgivable." she said through her tears.

"I'm just…I'm…" she trailed off as her hands came up to cover her face as she cried.

Usagi placed her hand on Ami's shoulder as she looked on sadly. She was sad that Ami was hurting but she also knew that the quiet girl needed to go through it. It was clear to her that she had taken her words to heart and thought about her behavior, and it was also clear that she wasn't happy with what she had discovered.

"Please Usagi. I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you." Ami said tearfully as she looked to the sick girl. "I'm sorry for what I helped put you through. I'm sorry for not being there for you, for not being the friend you thought I was, for not being the best teammate I could be, and for not being a loyal senshi. Please, I don't want to lose you. You were my first friend." she pleaded through her sobs.

"I want to start over. I want to be the friend you deserve." she said as she tried to stop her tears. "I miss you. I miss hanging out with you. I miss eating lunch with you. I miss you when you're not at the meetings. I miss you at the fights. I've found myself looking for you in the middle of a fight, only to remember that you wouldn't be showing up." she said as she wiped away the tears on her face. "I just…I can't imagine not being your friend."

Usagi thought over Ami's words and allowed the girl to get composed. This was the type of apology she had been looking for from Ami. The girl was truly sorry. This was something she could accept without lowering her standards and expectations. It would take time for them to get back to what they were before Ami's change, but she was confident that they would. She wasn't sure if she would ever feel comfortable or trust her, or any of them, enough to explain her reasoning for why she acted the way she did, but hopefully they would leave it alone and not try and look into it. She also hoped this wouldn't all start back up when she went back to being her "bubbly" self.

**Now this is what I was looking for the first time. This is something I can accept, this is something I ****do**** accept. Well start over. I miss hanging out with you as well and I don't want to lose your friendship. It hurt to be judged and to be turned on the way I was, and it will take time to get over but I hope in the mean time we can work on our friendship.** she wrote and handed her notebook to Ami and leaned back against her pillow.

"Thank you." Ami said gratefully after she read Usagi's words as she handed the notebook back. "This won't ever happen again." she assured her sick friend with a hesitant smile.

**I hope not. Now, could you not talk to any of them about what went on here? At least until after everyone has had their turn. I told Makoto the same thing, so you don't have to worry about pressure from anyone. And can you tell Luna that she can come back tonight for her turn?** she wrote and once again handed over her notebook.

"I won't talk about anything until everyone's had their turn, and I'll tell Luna what you said." Ami promised.

**Can you send Rei up? But only if she wants to. If she doesn't want to come up then can you send Mamoru up instead?** she wrote with a sigh. **You all can come up or come back another day.** she wrote as an after thought and somewhat reluctantly and passed the notebook to Ami. She would rather not have to deal with Rei and at this point would be more then happy to see them all leave. She didn't know why she wrote that they could come up to her room. Maybe it was out of habit from her "bubbly" self trying to make sure everyone was happy.

"I'll do it, and thanks again Usagi for letting me talk and for accepting my apology. I hope you get well soon." Ami said as she handed back her notebook and got to her feet. She walked to the door, opened it, waved at the blond and slipped out of the room.

Meanwhile…

Luna explained to Makoto what she, Ami, and Rei had been discussing and Makoto frowned at Rei once she had heard all. She too wondered if the reason Mamoru gave Usagi the flower mattered.

"Whatever his reason is, there's nothing you can do about it." Makoto said. "You don't have the right to complain or be concerned about who he gives gifts to and his reasons behind it. Going on a few dates doesn't give you the right to do that." she added bluntly, not caring about the girls temper and wondering how many times she would have to repeat that fact before it got through her head. She needed to understand that she didn't have any power over Mamoru. And if she was being honest with herself, she was a little afraid of what would happen if it came down to Mamoru himself having to make that point clear to her temperamental friend.

"I agree. Maybe you should consider how Mamoru would feel and react if he were to learn about how you're behaving when it concerns him." Luna said as she shifted in her position on the couch cushion, her tail curling around her legs.

"I think he would appreciate my concerns since they show that I care and that I'm taking an interest in his life." Rei responded as if there was nothing wrong with that statement.

"It sounds more like you're a jealous girlfriend who doesn't appreciate her boyfriend giving gifts to another girl, especially when she herself hasn't received such gifts." Makoto stated as she crossed her arms against her chest.

"I'm not jealous." Rei snapped angrily. "But I don't appreciate that he gave Usagi a flower and not me, and I want to know why since I'm dating him and practically his girlfriend at this point." she added.

Luna shook her head in exasperation at Rei, the tip of her tail twitching to show her agitation. Did she not realize that Mamoru wasn't in the least bit interested in making her his girlfriend? Did she not see that he probably only agreed to go out with her because she wouldn't leave him alone and didn't want to hurt her feelings? Not to mention that she was too young for him to take seriously, and her behavior now only proved it.

It was more then clear that Rei was jealous of Usagi for that perceived gift. A gift that probably wasn't even from him! However, Luna made a note to think more on this situation. Rei seemed overworked up over it, and she wondered if this was connected to the reason for her behavior toward Usagi recently. Maybe it was even the cause of the major problem between the girls.

"You're not his girlfriend." Makoto stated bluntly. "Not even practically. A few dates don't make you anywhere near someone's girlfriend, and it doesn't matter if you don't appreciate him giving Usagi a flower. And it's none of your business why he gave her one to begin with! It was his money that bought the flower, and he had spent his time picking it out, and she was his friend." she continued as she tried to stress her point. "You may not appreciate his giving Usagi a flower, but I doubt Mamoru would appreciate you questioning his reason for giving a sick friend a flower." she pointed out.

"Usagi and Mamoru aren't friends." Rei pointed out. "He's simply using her to better his medical understanding with hands on experience." she continued and Makoto gasped in surprise. She suddenly had a mental imagine of Tuxedo Kamen storming in and chewing her out for that remark as he flung his top hat to the floor in anger.

"Be careful about what you say Rei." Luna warned. "It would be bad if Mamoru and Usagi's mom were to hear you say something like that. Especially since there is no way that it's true. Mamoru just isn't that type of person."

"Usagi and Mamoru sure look like friends, and lets not forget that they knew each other before any of us came along." Makoto pointed out. "And besides, with the way Usagi's been revealing new things about herself, we can't be sure about what we've seen between the two of them in the past. For all we know their arguments, insults, and all the rest could have been something they had agreed on long ago to help relieve stress!"

"I'm not talking loud so they won't hear me, and we can't be sure that that's not what he's doing since he's studying to be a doctor." Rei said to Luna, completely disregarding the fact that she hadn't known that he was studying to be a doctor until that very day. "And I don't believe for one second that their arguments were stress relief. As for them being friends, I'll believe it when Mamoru comes right out and says it, and I doubt he would since he still calls her Odango Atama." she pointed out to Makoto.

Makoto closed her eyes and shook her head slowly at Rei's words. If she wasn't careful Rei would find herself on Mamoru's bad side. It already looked like she was on Tuxedo Kamen's bad side with her callous words about not wanting to save Sailor Moon all the time. The more she saw of Mamoru and Usagi together, the more it became clear that they were indeed friends. Maybe not friends like she had been with them, but still friends. If they didn't like each other in some way then they would have just ignored each others existence instead of teasing and throwing insults back and forth.

To her it seemed that Rei was jealous of Usagi for even knowing Mamoru and spending time with him. She seemed angry that Usagi could be anything other then an enemy to him.

_Is this jealousy of Usagi about anything else? And if so, how much of it has bled into our senshi life?_ Makoto wondered with a frown as she closed her eyes. She was disturbed by that thought and planned on running it by Ami to see what she thought before talking to Luna. She also wondered if it was something she should bring up to Usagi. _I'll see what Ami and Luna think of that._ she assured herself.

Luna watched as Makoto frowned in thought with her eyes closed. She wondered what the lightening senshi was thinking about, wondered if it was about Rei or something else. When she saw the brown haired girl open her eyes, it was easy for her to tell that whatever it was it was troubling to the girl. She would need to find out what that was about and hoped she would tell her on her own.

Just as her thoughts finished Ami came into the living room looking like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Luna, Usagi said that you can come back tonight for your talk with her." Ami said to their guardian as she moved to stand behind the couch. "Are you going to go up and talk to her?" she asked Rei.

_I'm not here to apologize since I don't have anything to be sorry for, but I did want to talk to her about her role as a senshi._ Rei considered before getting to her feet.

"I'm going up." she stated as she walked out of the room.

Ami rounded the couch and sat down next to Luna. She took a deep breath and let it slowly. It was finally done. She had talked to Usagi and apologized and had been forgiven. She was so happy but tired as well. It had been an emotional rollercoaster talking about her feelings and trying to explain what she thought she had done wrong in their friendship.

"Well girls, how did it go?" Luna asked curiously, wanting to get an idea of what she was going to face when she spoke with Usagi. She was disappointed when the girls simply told her that Usagi had asked them not to talk about it until everyone had spoken with her. All they were willing to say was that she had forgiven them, but from the way they looked when they came down the stairs she could have guessed that.

"So what happened after I left?" Ami asked quietly as she gently pet a disappointed Luna and listened as Makoto explained in low tones.

Ami couldn't believed what she was hearing. She couldn't believe that Rei thought Mamoru was using Usagi in such a way. With this news she was glad that Mamoru wasn't interested in Rei since she was clearly showing that she knew nothing about him. And even if it was true, she thought that said a lot about her friends personality that she could think someone was capable of such a thing and still have feelings for them.

_What exactly is it about Mamoru that Rei likes anyway?_ Ami wondered as she shook her head at what she was hearing. _What did he do to draw her attention? Was it something he said or was it simply his looks? Why was she so fixated on him?_ she asked herself with a frown. Was this how someone behaved when they liked someone or had a crush on them?

"That's not how I act." Makoto said when Ami voiced her question. "And I've liked my fair share of guys and dated a lot of them as well." she assured her quiet friend. "I also know that Usagi had a crush on Motoki and she didn't act that way. So it's just Rei. Or maybe there's something about Mamoru that makes her act that way. I don't know." she added.

As soon as Makoto finished speaking they heard the front door open and close and as one, turned to look to the hallway to see Usagi's father standing there.

"Oh. Hi girls." Mr. Tsukino greeted when he noticed them. "Are you visiting Usagi?" he asked as he slipped out of his shoes.

Makoto and Ami explained that they were visiting his daughter but that she had wanted to speak to them separately and that one of them was up with her at the moment.

"Well okay. Do you girls happen to know where my wife is?" they heard him ask and they shared a slightly frightened look. It was no secret that Mr. Tsukino was protective of his daughter when it came to boys, and they worried about what would happen when he saw Mamoru.

Still, they had no right to hide it from him since it was his house.

"She's in the kitchen." Ami said with a slight tremble in her voice, and watched him move away from the living room entrance down the hallway.

"This…is going to be very bad." Makoto said quietly with a frown as she continued to look at the now empty hallway.

**Mamoru's POV**

Mamoru frowned as he listened to Mrs. Tsukino explain how her husband would handle everything he had just told her, and sighed in sad frustration. What was he going to do? If the man would react unpleasantly to just knowing that he had feelings for his daughter, then he didn't even want to imagine his reaction to finding out that he was her boyfriend.

He didn't want to imagine it, but a scene flashed through his mind anyway.

~!~!~!~!~

_He was sitting on the floor in Usagi's room, waiting for her to finish writing a response to something he said when they heard shouting. They shared a look. His, disturbed and hers, frightened and sad._

"_What do you mean he cares for her?! So what if he cares for her! That doesn't give him the right to be in the bedroom alone with her!" they heard what was clearly her father's response to learning of his feelings for her._

"_We don't know anything about him, and he's up there alone with our sick daughter!" they heard, somewhat muted this time._

_There was silence and then…"He's __**how**__ old?!" a paused followed the irate shout. "I don't care if he's studying to be King of the Earth! He's __**too**__ old for my little girl!" they heard the words floating to them louder then all the rest, followed by the sound of someone stomping up the stairs._

_Mamoru looked at Usagi's frightened face and wondered if he should stay and face whatever was coming to him or make a run for the balcony doors…_

~!~!~!~!~

It was so disturbing that he was sure he was overreacting, but at the same time it made him wonder about what the man would do at finding him in his home.

_Maybe I'm not overreacting. Perhaps I'm not reacting strongly enough. He could skip all the angry shouts and move straight to violence._ he considered wildly as he looked around, wondering where the back door was and if he should make a run for it at that moment to avoid being seen in the house.

But he couldn't do that. He wouldn't just leave like that. He couldn't. Not without speaking to Usagi first. He wouldn't run away like that. He cared about her too much, loved her too much to let her father frighten him away. If he could stare down and fight youma then he could certainly stand up to his girlfriends father!

Mamoru considered what he could do to get the man to like him. Mrs. Tsukino basically said it would be good to mention his good grades throughout school and that he would like the fact that he was studying to be a doctor.

_Perhaps mentioning that I have a large inheritance that I've been using wisely over the years will also help. It would show that I'm good at managing money. And maybe to get him distracted from the fact that I live alone I could stress the fact that I picked out a safe quiet neighborhood all by myself._ he considered thoughtfully.

However, even with that he didn't think the fact that he had skipped dating and gone straight to boyfriend status would help. Mrs. Tsukino had also stated plainly that the fact that he was four years older wouldn't help him any, and that fact had been haunting him from the moment he found himself hiding in Usagi's bedroom closet the other night.

_Well there's nothing I can do about my age, and he certainly doesn't need to know that his daughter is already my girlfriend._ he tried to assure himself. _Although maybe with my age I could play on the fact that I would be more responsible with our relationship then any guy her age would. And at least he would know that sooner or later I'll have a decent respectable well paying job and be able to provide for his daughter._ he considered, and then his thoughts stilled.

_Am I already thinking marriage?_ he thought very quietly as he slowly blinked his eyes. That was something he definitely wasn't ready to be thinking about so he shook away the thought and looked back to Mrs. Tsukino.

"Do you have any advice I could use?" he asked her as he ran his fingers anxiously through his hair.

"Be honest with him dear." Mrs. Tsukino instructed. "Talk to him and let him get use to your presence, even if it's just a greeting when you come by and leave, and always look him in the eye." she advised.

"Thank you." Mamoru said as he nodded. "Is there anything I can do to help you prepare dinner?" he asked. He needed a distraction from thoughts about Usagi's father, and since he didn't think Usagi's friends were done speaking with her this was the next best thing.

"No no. You just sit and relax." Mrs. Tsukino said with a smile. "Oh! Will you be staying for dinner?" she suddenly asked.

The question threw Mamoru completely. He didn't know how to answer it. He wondered how Usagi would feel about that, wondered if she would like it. Then he remembered her father and wondered how that man would react to him staying for dinner.

_I'll ask Usagi if she wants me to stay or not._ he decided before answering Mrs. Tsukino. "Maybe. It would depend on how Usagi would feel about it." he stated.

Since his thoughts were back to Usagi he wondered how she was doing. He wondered if she was feeling any better, and if she did want him to stay if she would even be able to come down to the dinning room. He sighed lightly as he wondered if she was tired and how she was handling her visit with her friends.

_I hope they apologize in such a way that she'll be able to accept it because she needs her friends._ he thought with a mental sigh. _I hope they talk to her about being Sailor Moon again. I wonder if they asked her about the rose, and what she said if they did._

Just as he was about to take a guess on what she might have said, he heard the front door slam close and his eyes flashed to Mrs. Tsukino. He watched as her eyes widened as she looked to him, and his eyes widened as he heard what was clearly Usagi's father speaking in the hallway.


	11. Anger and Recovery

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Sailor Moon or her characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.**

Anger and Recovery

Mamoru sat frozen in his seat in a panic as he listen to Mr. Tsukino's voice. What was he going to do? Wasn't it too soon for this? He looked around the kitchen as if looking for an exit.

_Maybe I should treat him like a youma._ he considered wildly as his eyes settled on the door. He had almost reached for one of his deadly roses before he caught himself.

_You need to calm down Chiba._ he told himself as he took a deep breath. _You just need to think about Usagi and remember Mrs. Tsukino's advice._ he reassured himself. _You can do this. Just remain calm. You need a clear head to talk to him and get him to at least accept you in his house._ he told himself with an internal nod.

_What am I going to say?!_ he thought, his mental voice going wild again before he forced himself to calm down. _I'll just pretend that I'm talking to a particularly nasty professor, and I need a good grade in his class in order to take the next class I would need to continue towards becoming a doctor._ he coached himself.

And when he thought about it that way it was kind of true. Mrs. Tsukino was the easy professor and he had been able to do well on her assignment- answering her questions, taking care of her daughter, having strong feelings for her daughter- and now he was about to face the hard professor. One where he couldn't do just reasonable to pass. He needed to do excellent. He had to be superior then any other student. Achieving that level meant moving on to the next level, which was being approved to date Usagi.

Just as Mamoru looked back to Mrs. Tsukino and gave her a calm smile Mr. Tsukino came walking into the kitchen. He paused in front of the door and looked at Mamoru for a long moment before greeting his wife and asking who Mamoru was.

"Good evening Mr. Tsukino. I'm Chiba Mamoru. I'm a friend of Usagi's." he said respectfully after getting to his feet and looking the older man straight in the eye.

"A friend?" Mr. Tsukino asked with narrowed eyes.

_Mrs. Tsukino said to be honest. Have to be honest. Well, as honest as I can be with our situation._ he reminded himself. _Think of Usagi._ he coached himself as he glanced to Mrs. Tsukino. She gave him an encouraging smile and it gave him the confidence boost he needed.

"Yes, a friend. But I hope to be more." he said as honestly as he could. He was already more but he hoped that she would come to love him as he loved her.

"More? MORE?!" Mr. Tsukino nearly shouted the last word. "You want to be more then friends with my daughter? I didn't even know you _existed_ until this very moment! I know _nothing_ about you. I don't even know if my daughter likes you. I don't _care_ if my daughter likes you! You're not going to date my daughter! You're not going to go anywhere near her as long as I can help it!" Mr. Tsukino spat angrily.

Mamoru blinked and took a breath when Mr. Tsukino was finished.

_Okay. So a particularly nasty professor who has been infused with negative energy by the enemy._ he thought as he continued to look Usagi's father in the eye.

Mamoru was grateful that Mr. Tsukino had quieted down. Especially since he was aware that Usagi's friends were down the hall instead of in her room like he thought they were. The last thing he and Usagi needed was for them to know that he wanted to date her. They especially didn't need Rei knowing.

_How do I get him to accept my presence at least?_ he considered as he forced himself to remain still. _Just stay calm and try to reason with him. Be respectful and honest._ he reminded himself.

"Please Mr. Tsukino." he began. "There wasn't a reason for you to know of my existence until recently. I'm just now realizing that I have feelings for your daughter. Literally days ago. I'm visiting her to see how she's doing, if she's feeling better, and to get to know her better. And for her to get to know me better." he said.

"How long have you known my daughter?" Mr. Tsukino asked, his eyes still narrowed.

"A few months now." Mamoru answered.

"You've known my daughter for months and you two are still getting to know each other?" Mr. Tsukino asked skeptically. "How do I know you haven't been stalking her and have just now found a way to get close to her without scaring her?" he asked as he crossed his arms against his chest.

Mamoru blanched at the accusation. He understood that the man was just trying to protect his daughter, and fishing for information but it still stung. He had never been accused of doing such a thing or anything close to it and he was highly offended.

_Stay calm and respectful_. he reminded himself.

"Our friendship is different then what she has with her other friends. We see each other almost everyday and spend a few minutes talking but we haven't actually spent any time together getting to know each other. Not until a few days before she became ill." he explained.

They stood in complete silence for a while. He wasn't sure how long but it was long enough for him to go over what Mr. Tsukino had said, and he realized that the older man had said that he wouldn't let him anywhere near Usagi. He couldn't allow that. He needed to be with his girlfriend, especially now since they were still getting to know each other. He needed to say something!

Mamoru sighed wearily.

"Please, I understand that you don't like me, most likely don't want me in your house, and obviously nowhere near Usagi, but we're friends." he began. "She's going through a hard time with her girl friends and right now I'm the only one she feels comfortable being around and talking to. So at least let me be around to be her friend and her mine."

"I'm not much of a people person and Usagi is one of the few people I call friend." he practically begged. He would do it if it allowed him to be around his girlfriend without having to sneak around. "And if you allow me to visit her here then you could get to know me at the same time." he added. "Just…please don't dismiss me without learning anything about me." he continued.

"I'm trying to do the right thing here. Usagi and the two of you and my best friend are the only ones who know about my feelings for her. I didn't want anyone else to know until I had your approval to try and start a relationship with her." he said desperately, hoping to sway the man's opinion of him and keep him from revealing their secret to her friends.

Just then they heard muted yelling coming from upstairs, and they all knew that it was Usagi.

Mamoru didn't understand though. He thought her friends weren't in her room anymore, so who was she angry with? He said as much out loud to her parents as he frowned thoughtfully.

Mr. Tsukino grudgingly informed him that one of her friends was up there with her because they were speaking with her one at a time.

Mamoru asked who wasn't up there with Usagi and the older man said it was the tall girl and the quiet one.

_Makoto and Ami…Jupiter and Mercury. That means…_ his thought trailed off, his confused frown turning worried.

"Oh my god. She's up there with Rei. Alone." he finished his thought out loud before hurrying out of the kitchen.

He was just in time to see Rei reach the front door and leave out, but that was all he saw before he hurried up the stairs and to Usagi's room. When he reached her open doorway he saw her sitting up in her bed with a hand against her throat.

"Usagi?" he said in a quiet worried tone.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi pulled the page out of her notebook that she had used, balled it up and placed it on her right nightstand, then leaned back against her pillow and sighed.

_Two down, two to go._ she thought as she stretched and considered if she wanted to try and walk around her room.

She wondered how the next two talks would go, or even if there would be two. She wouldn't put it pass Rei to not come apologize, and she honestly wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Usagi wanted to fix their friendship, but at the same time she didn't want to be around her. She kind of hoped that Rei wouldn't come up and Mamoru would walk through the door instead. She was still hoping to talk to him before he had to leave. About her insecurities and why he wanted her to continue being Sailor Moon.

Just as she was about to wonder yet again about what he was doing, Rei came walking into her room as if she had every right to be there and closed the door.

Usagi closed her eyes and hoped this wouldn't go the way their last conversation had gone.

The room was quiet. Rei stood next to the balcony doors looking out, probably to buy herself some time. Usagi lay in her bed watching her and waiting to see what she would say.

Rei finally walked over to her side and stared down at her with an angry frown.

"Did Mamoru _really_ give you that rose?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

_Didn't we already establish this?_ Usagi asked herself as she looked at Rei. _I guess that means she hasn't talked to Mamoru._

**Yes. He did.** she wrote and held out the notebook for her to take.

Instead of taking it the violet eyed girl leaned over slightly and read her response. Was she really refusing to touch her notebook?! Was she afraid of getting sick? Or was she just refusing to touch anything that was hers?

"Why did he give it to you? You aren't even friends." Rei said with a frown.

**We are friends. If we weren't we wouldn't even bother speaking to each other!**

Rei didn't like that at all. She frowned and angrily growled that Mamoru was only using her to better his medical understanding with hands on experience.

Usagi's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She honestly didn't believe a word of it but she wondered just how jealous and angry Rei was with her for her to say something like that.

She decided immediately not to tell Mamoru that particular detail. She didn't know how he would react to that but it couldn't be good and she knew that he would need to work with the girls, and that included Rei, if he was going to find his princess and his identity.

"I really have to find out what Mamoru was thinking, but that wasn't the reason I came back up here." Rei said with a huff and continued on, not pausing to give Usagi a chance to write anything. Not that she would have read it if she had.

"I've been thinking about your role as a senshi since it's become clear that you would be needed to change those who had a rainbow crystal back into a human." she said as she began to pace around the room.

"We'll just call you for those until we find someone else to pick up your slack. We've already had a meeting to discuss who the new leader will be and once that is decided we'll search for someone else to be Sailor Moon full time." Rei finished, her voice sounding superior, as if she had scored a victory over Usagi and was bragging about it.

Usagi was stunned at what she was hearing. Rei wanted to use her for the major work and at the same time replace her with someone else, someone who was probably better. She didn't mind them choosing another leader or replacing her, but to think that they could use her in the meantime until they found someone else after the way they treated her?! That made her angry.

She wasn't good enough of a leader or senshi in Rei's standards but was good enough to do the work no one else could while they searched for her replacement.

Usagi didn't even know if this was a group decision or just what Rei thought should happen, and honestly didn't care! She wasn't going to do it or put up with that kind of talk.

She had quit. Period. She didn't want to know what they were doing or going to do. She wanted no part of it! She certainly hadn't expected Rei to come up to her room talking Senshi business instead of saying she was sorry. The raven haired girl probably didn't think she needed to say it because she most likely didn't think she did anything wrong.

In fact, she wanted nothing to do with anything that Rei was saying and was almost certain that she didn't want anything to do with Rei at the moment.

She wanted her gone. She was just plain tired of dealing with her attitude and wasn't sure if their friendship could be fixed after this meeting or if she even _wanted_ it fixed.

"Get out." Usagi said, her voice a hoarse whisper as she spoke, forgetting in her anger that she had lost her voice.

"Get out." she repeated, voice raspy and angry.

"GET OUT!" she yelled, her voice coming out stronger.

Usagi repeated her demand again and again. Her words coming out loud yet broken as her voice struggled to work the way it was supposed to.

Coughing soon accompanied her screaming broken demand but she didn't stop.

She was frowning angrily as she breathed quickly, grimacing in pain as she held her throat with a hand and watched Rei storm out of her room. She didn't know if the girl was shocked or angry, and quickly found that's he didn't care.

"Usagi?" she heard the quiet worried tone of her boyfriend and looked over to see him stepping toward her.

* * *

As Mamoru knelt on the floor next to her bed Usagi looked back to the doorway to see her parents come rushing in with the girls right behind them.

"Are you okay?" Mamoru asked as he searched her eyes, seeing the anger and pain.

"What happened?" Mr. Tsukino demanded as he stood next to Mamoru's kneeling form, almost threateningly close.

"How's your throat dear?" Mrs. Tsukino asked from the other side of her bed as she gently rubbed her back.

Makoto, Ami, and Luna stood at the door wondering if they were intruding and should go or if they should stay and find out what happened.

"I'm fine." Usagi whispered as she shook her head. "I had a disagreement with Rei and got so angry that I forgot that had lost my voice. I just wanted her gone." she explained to everyone present.

"Is there anything I can take for my throat because it really hurts." she asked her mom.

"I'll make you some hot lemon tea. That should sooth it." Mrs. Tsukino said before heading down to the kitchen.

"You should go." Usagi whispered to her friends standing by the door. "After what I just went through with Rei I'm not really in the mood to talk to all of you. You can find out what happened from her."

Ami and Makoto nodded and said their goodbyes, not even fighting it since they knew that their friendship was still on rocky ground despite the apologies.

That left Usagi alone with her secret boyfriend and her father. She hoped her father wasn't going to make Mamoru leave because she really needed his comfort right now.

She wondered if they had spoken yet and if they had if they had come to some sort of understanding or if it was only her situation with Rei that had delayed Mamoru's exit from the house. She hoped her father hadn't decided to make him leave yet, and even more that he wouldn't make him leave at all.

"Usagi what happened? I need more details then what you just said. I need to know what could have possibly happened to make you raise your voice like that." Mr. Tsukino said.

Usagi sighed painfully and opened her mouth to speak when she felt Mamoru take her notebook. She watched him turn to an empty page and place it back on her lap and hand her her pen.

"You shouldn't speak anymore right now. It'll only make your throat hurt worse. At least wait until you've had some of that tea." Mamoru said as he tried to ignore the feeling of her father staring at him.

Usagi nodded, thinking that was for the best since her throat really hurt and she really didn't want to risk the sudden reappearance of her voice.

**The girls were here to see how I was doing since they learned yesterday that I was sick, and they also came to apologize to me. I wasn't getting along with them and wasn't speaking to the them until they gave me an apology that I could accept. Ami and Makoto did but Rei didn't. She started talking about something else and I wasn't happy with the subject. I got so angry that I just wanted her gone.** she wrote and handed the notebook to her father.

Usagi looked to Mamoru and glanced questioningly at her father and back to Mamoru. He shrugged and looked uncertain. That told her that her father hadn't made a decision on whether he could stay or not. She also realized that she had no idea what was said between them if they did get the chance to talk. She hoped she could talk to Mamoru alone before speaking to her father.

"Okay Usagi." she heard her father say and looked up and accepted the notebook back. "What are you going to do about her? I don't want that happening again, especially not when you're sick."

She sighed lightly as she picked up her pen and looked to Mamoru for inspiration since she didn't know what to do about Rei. All she knew was that at that time she didn't want to see or speak to her for at least a few weeks.

Mamoru just smiled encouragingly and gave her a look she had seen him give her as Tuxedo Kamen often. One where his eyes gave her the courage to do what needed to be done even when she didn't know what to do.

**I'm going to stay away from her and not talk to her for now. I'll ask mom not to let her in if she comes again with the others. I honestly don't know if I want to continue our friendship or not. I think I need time to think about it before I decide.** she wrote and handed her father the notebook once again.

Just then her mother returned with a steaming mug. Mamoru quickly got up and moved out of the way so she wouldn't have to walk around the bed.

"Be careful. It's really hot. It will work best if you can drink it like that. It will hurt the first few swallows but the lemon will help." Mrs. Tsukino said.

Usagi nodded and carefully sipped at the tea, taking in small amounts of the hot liquid and grimacing at the pain in her throat but not stopping.

"I think this is a good idea and you should definitely take your time thinking about the quality of your friendship and if it's really worth continuing." Mr. Tsukino said.

Her mother frowned in confusion and her father explained what she had written and decided.

Usagi nodded along with what her father was saying as she kept glancing at Mamoru who was already looking at her. She wanted to talk to him, needed to talk to him, but didn't know how to make it happen.

"Now, for this _friend _of yours." Mr. Tsukino said sarcastically as he turned to look at Mamoru.

As soon as he spoke the word 'friend' both Mamoru and Usagi froze, unsure of what was going to happen.

"Kenji, honey, let's talk while we give Usagi some time to calm down after the confrontation she just had." Mrs. Tsukino said as she lay a hand on his arm.

"But I need to deal with him." Mr. Tsukino said with a frown.

"I know but I need to speak to you privately." she said calmly. "Don't worry, the door will remain open while we talk." she assured him.

The assurance worked. Her father placed her notebook on her bed, glared warningly at Mamoru, and left the room with his wife.

Usagi and Mamoru listened as their footsteps faded away and they both sighed. Mamoru moved back to his spot on the floor next to her bed and settled there as he gently removed the rose from her hair and placed it on her nightstand. He was sure, even though he loved the sight of it in her hair, that it had done him no favors.

"Did you talk to my dad before you guys heard me?" Usagi asked in a whisper, trying not to hurt her throat.

"Yes." Mamoru answered with a weary sigh and began to explain what was said and how he didn't get a chance to get an answer.

Usagi sighed when he finished and took a sip of her tea.

"I hope mom is trying to talk some sense into him right now." she said.

"Me too." he agreed before launching into what had been said between him and her mother. "She also invited me to stay for dinner. Would you like me to stay if your father allows it?" he asked.

"Yes. I would like that very much." she answered. Not only would it give her more time with him but she had never seen him eat. She wondered if she might get the chance to learn what he liked tonight.

"Do you think it might be a good idea to tell my mom about us being together and my situation with the girls?" Usagi asked uncertainly. "It's just since there's a lot I can't tell her I want to be as honest as I can with what I can say." she explained quietly.

"I agree. If you want to tell her then you should. Especially after the things I revealed to her, but do you think she would keep it a secret from your father?" he asked just as quietly.

"I think she would if I asked her after I explained my feelings." Usagi said.

Just as she finished speaking Mrs. Tsukino came walking into the room.

"I've convinced my husband to get to know you," she said to Mamoru. "and being in his presence would help that. So you can start by staying for dinner." she finished and looked between the two youth waiting for an answer.

"Thank you. I'll be happy to stay." Mamoru answered gratefully.

"Thanks mom." Usagi said with a bright smile.

"Great. Now Mamoru can stay in here but the door needs to stay open, and one of us will come check on you every now and then." Mrs. Tsukino informed them.

They both readily agreed as that was much better then him not being allowed to stay in her room or the both of them having to move to the living room.

"What happened with your talk with Rei? What was said?" Mamoru asked quietly once Mrs. Tsukino left.

Usagi put her tea down and began to write, not wanting to take the chance of her parents overhearing her.

**First she complained about you giving me the rose. She wanted to know why you would give me a flower when we weren't even friends. She said some other things but I would rather not repeat them. Once she had calmed down from being angry over that she then proceeded to tell me that she had been thinking about my role as a senshi since it was apparently clear that I would be needed to change those who had a rainbow crystal back into a human. They would just call me to deal with those until they found someone to take over as Sailor Moon.**

Mamoru closed his eyes after he finished reading and took a deep calming breath. He was getting more then irritated at Rei's behavior in regards to him. He decided then and there that the next time he saw her he was going to set her straight so that here was no doubt of how he felt about her.

"How did it go with the others?" he asked, wanting to know and needing a distraction from his irritation about Rei.

"It went very well." Usagi whispered. "They both thought through the problem and their behavior, and their apologies were very heartfelt and real." she explained, her whispery voice pleased as she thought that at least those two friendships were on the mend.

"Despite Rei's delusional plans," he began quietly, because he was sure that Usagi could not be replaced as Sailor Moon. His link to her would not just switch to a random girl. "did the apologies help in any way towards reconsidering being Sailor Moon?"

Usagi was frustrated. She still didn't understand why he wanted her to be Sailor Moon again.

"Why? Why do you want me to continue? If I'm not there you won't have to worry about me getting hurt or being in the way or someone being hurt or killed if I made a mistake. You could focus on the rainbow crystals and finding your identity and your _princess_." she whispered with a frustrated huff.

"Why are you worried about the princess?" Mamoru asked, immediately picking up on her concern.

**Do you ever wonder what your connection to the princess is? The Senshi were her guardians, so what does that make you? You said she seemed familiar. What if you two were in some kind of relationship? What happens when you find her? What does that mean for us?** she wrote, not wanting to take the chance that her parents would hear this discussion either.

Mamoru grabbed her pen and began reply, also realizing that her parents didn't need to hear what they were talking about.

"**The same could be said for you and the guy you've been dreaming about. You have actual feelings to go along with your dreams, and there could be some kind of connection there."** he pointed out.

**You said it was reincarnation!** she wrote quickly.

"**I could be wrong, and I also said that there was some kind of connection between your dreams and your identity as Sailor Moon since they started when you first assumed that identity."** he replied and watched her frown and sigh as she read. He took the notebook back and tried to reassure her.

"**I'm not going to give you up if I do find out that I have some kind of romantic connection with the princess. It clearly had to have happened in a different life, and I am currently unavailable in this one so the princess will just have to deal. You're the first girl I've had a real interest in and I'm not going to let you go for a chance at a relationship that happened in another life with no guarantee that it would work in this one."**

After reading his reassurance Usagi smiled and tried to reassure him as well.

**Well you're right about the feelings I experience with the guy in my dreams but I'm still hoping the reincarnation theory is why since he looks like you.** she wrote. There was no way she could deny what the dream guy made her feel so she really was hoping for reincarnation.

"If it is reincarnation" he began jokingly to try and lighten the mood. "then it's possible that you're my princess since the dress you described sounds like the one I've seen her wearing and your hair is almost as long."

They both paused and looked at each other in surprise as they considered if that could be true.

"You did say that the princess might not know that she is a princess, and that the Senshi didn't know what she looked like." he said quietly as he looked at her and wondered if she really could be the princess from his dreams.

Usagi didn't know what to think. If it turned out to be true she wasn't sure she would like it, especially with how the girls treated her when she was just Sailor Moon. She imagined if she turned out to be the Moon Princess then they would expect even more from her. Not to mention the pressure of being a princess. What would that all entail? Would the princess have to live differently, act differently, speak differently?

"It's only a possibility, speculation nothing more. There's no use worrying and stressing over it without proof." he said as he saw Usagi getting upset. "Tell me the story of how you became Sailor Moon." he said quietly, hoping to distract her from her thoughts.

Usagi lay down on her bed in such a way so he could read while she wrote and began her tale.

Mamoru laughed at her reaction to her first transformation, picturing her shock and surprise that it had actually worked, and how she thought she was hallucinating when the cat first spoke to her.

"I'll admit that it's funny now but at the time I had been scared and confused." she said as she remembered that day.

"I can understand that. It's not everyday that you have a cat talk to you and then given this power and told you have a destiny to fulfill." he said understandably, thinking that at least she had had someone to explain to her what was going on. He hadn't had that luxury.

Usagi went on to describe that first fight, how scared she had been, especially since Luna was no help. She had given her the power and then didn't tell her how to use it. And even after that first fight she had been so scared sometimes that she hadn't wanted to transform and fight. She had been all for running away and hiding, how Luna would give little speeches of encouragement but that they never worked. It was mostly the guilt of doing nothing while people were getting hurt, and she had the power to help that got to her and made her face the enemy.

She went on to say that it hadn't helped that she wasn't good at fighting. She always worried about what would happen if she got seriously injured. What would she tell people? Her family? She worried that when she had still been the only senshi what would happen to the people if she were too injured the next time the enemy attacked.

Even after the other girls showed up her stress was still there because it seemed that with each senshi that was found the less able she was to fight. How she use to be able to use her tiara to dust them all by herself but when the girls showed up it was like she suddenly needed them to weaken them first. She felt like her already limited power had been diminishing with the arrival of each senshi, and that one day she wouldn't have been able to do anything.

As Usagi continued to write it seemed all the issues she had about being Sailor Moon were coming out. How she didn't like having to lie to her family, how hard it was to sneak in and out of her house at night, having to run all around the city in what she happened to be wearing at the time to get where she was needed, and the secret fear that she would be attacked and assaulted by some random man on her way there or going back home from a fight.

How because of the late nights she was always waking up late and then too tired to stay awake in class and get into trouble for that. Sometimes she was too tired or in too much pain to worry about doing homework, especially when it seemed the attacks were coming one after the other.

She never knew how the girls put up with it until she realized that they weren't getting hurt as much and they didn't need to sneak in and out of their homes. She use to complain about it but stopped when they all just said she was being lazy and a crybaby.

**It had gotten so bad that the day I quit being Sailor Moon my teacher had asked if I was having problems at home because of the drastic changes she was seeing in me.**

"What did you tell her?" Mamoru asked before she could write more.

**I told her that I was tired. That I wasn't sleeping much, and she suggested having hot tea before bed. I tried it and it worked, but then again I haven't actually been to anymore fights or had to sneak around so I have no real way to know if it would have really worked.**

Usagi also complained that she didn't like how she had to give up her best friend, Naru, because she was afraid of her getting hurt being around her, and because she knew that she would eventually have to start lying to her too to make excuses for why she had to leave her company so suddenly. She continued with how she missed her. Her and her easy friendship and nonjudgmental ways. That they had been best friends for years, and she couldn't even tell her why she was giving up their friendship.

Before she could write more Mrs. Tsukino came in and let them know that dinner was ready and that they should come down.

Mamoru stood up as Usagi placed her notebook and pen on her nightstand, and then helped her out of bed, taking her hands in his and helping her to stand. They looked at each other as they once again felt the electric tingles racing along their connected hands.

"Are you cold?" he asked, trying to distract them from the electric sensation.

Usagi nodded and told him her robe was in her closet. After getting it he helped her into it and greatly enjoyed pulling her hair free. Once that exciting activity was done he linked his arm with hers and helped her walk down the stairs, to the dinning room, and into her seat.

"Where's Shingo?" he heard Usagi ask rasply as he settled into the seat next to her.

"He's spending the night at a friends house and will be going to school from there." Mrs. Tsukino informed her lightly.

They quietly started eating and Mamoru thought it was going well until Mr. Tsukino began talking to him.

"My wife has told me all that you talked of before I got here." Mr. Tsukino said and Mamoru hoped that she hadn't gone into detail about his feelings for their daughter.

"I have some questions. First I would like to know how you feel about living alone." Mr. Tsukino said.

"I like it just fine. I like the quiet for my studies, but sometimes I wish it wasn't so quiet. Not that I want noisy neighbors but just some company I guess." Mamoru answered honestly.

"When did you decide that you wanted to be a doctor?" Mr. Tsukino questioned.

"I decided when I was young. Soon after my parents death." he answered.

"Are you working right now?" the older man asked.

"No. I'm focusing on school right now." Mamoru replied. _It would be a nightmare if I had to work on top of going to school and being Tuxedo Kamen._ he thought with a frown.

"How are you supporting yourself if you're not working? How do you pay for your apartment and school?" Mr. Tsukino asked with narrowed eyes.

_I suppose now is where I mention that large inheritance._ he thought wearily.

"I have a large inheritance that I've used sparingly. I've only used it to get my apartment, car, and to pay for college so far." he explained. "I worked in junior high and high school, and saved most of that for the everyday things I would need." he added, hoping the man wouldn't think he was a 'trust fund baby'.

"Why is it that you don't like to talk about your parents or their passing?" Mr. Tsukino asked.

Usagi looked up at her father sharply. She was shocked at him and how insensitive he was being because he was trying to protect her. In fact, she was beginning to think that he was trying to drive Mamoru away.

"Don't answer that. It's none of my fathers business." she said to Mamoru as she put her hand on his arm, speaking up for the first time since the questions began.

Mamoru smiled a small smile at Usagi and nodded his head. He had to remind himself that this man was Usagi's father and had the power to keep him from seeing her. At least seeing her in her home, but he really didn't want to wait until she was well. They had too much to talk about to wait. So he needed to remain calm and push his offended nerves to the back of his mind so they wouldn't make him say anything that he would regret.

"Alright. How about this: why are you interested in my fourteen year old daughter?" Mr. Tsukino asked with a firm superior tone.

Mamoru wanted to grimace and sigh wearily but held it back so as not to give a bad impression. Still, he did not want to answer that, but it seemed that he didn't have to since his secret girlfriend who was having confidence issues was doing it for him.

"Maybe you should ask me why I'm interested in an eighteen year old young man." Usagi snapped in a raspy tone in annoyance. "Maybe you should ask yourself if you're really trying to protect me or if you're trying to drive him away!" she stated in anger. It wasn't like she had guys after her or was bringing a different guy home every week. She hadn't been bothered by this aspect of her father and never needed to question it until now.

"I like him. I really like him and you should be proud that I'm interested in a guy like him. Especially with all that you know of him so far." she finished angrily and immediately started coughing.

She got up and hurried out of the dining room and reached the bottom of the stairs before she was joined by Mamoru.

"Are you done with dinner?" he asked after her coughing stopped.

"Yes." Usagi answered as she pushed some hair out of her face.

"Do you want me to bring you back to your room?" he asked and watched as she nodded.

Mamoru picked her up as he had been doing for months in their secret identities and carried her up the stairs and sat her on her feet in her room. He then helped her out of her robe and placed it on the end of he bed as she got under her covers.

"Thanks for standing up for me like that. No one has ever done that for me before." Mamoru said with a smile as he once again settled in his spot on the floor.

"You definitely deserved it." Usagi said with a tired smile. "And my dad was doing too much. I don't know what his problem is but I'm not going to let him come between us. We have enough outside forces doing that. We don't need anymore." she finished.

Mamoru had to agree as the list of potential obstacles crossed his mind.

"I should probably go. You need to be rested for your talk with Luna and it's late anyway." he said reluctantly.

"You're right." she said with a sigh. "But I don't want you to leave."

"I don't want to leave either but I promise to come for dinner tomorrow night." he said, hoping the assurance that she would see him again the next day would help. He was going to tell her about the letter he planned to write but decided to leave it as a surprise.

"I'm looking forward to it. I hope you sleep well." she replied with a smile.

"Thanks." he said before kissing her on the cheek. "I'm really glad your voice is back." he whispered in her ear and smiled when he felt her shiver. "Good luck with Luna. I'll see you tomorrow." he said quietly before leaving.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi sighed, still feeling the electric tingle on her cheek, as she listened to her boyfriends footsteps fade. She picked up her cup of tea and took a sip of the still warm liquid. She listened to muffled voices as she took a larger sip of her tea. Then the sound of the door closing reached her and she sighed yet again at the final proof that Mamoru had left.

She nibbled on one of Makoto's peace offering cookies while she ripped out all the used sheets in her notebook. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to read what she had written to Mamoru. Once she finished she put the notebook on her nightstand and drank some more of her tea before ripping up the pages.

Finishing off her tea she gathered the shreds of paper and other used pages that she had turned out earlier, and slowly made her way to the bathroom where she dumped them in the trash. She decided in that moment to brush her teeth and wash her face and hands while she was there since she was sure she needed to.

After Usagi finished she made her way back to her room and removed the dark cover from her balcony doors and folded it up. She then grabbed the school work Mamoru had brought her and settled back in her bed to look over the material.

_Do I have the energy to do any of this while I wait for Luna?_ she asked herself as she looked through the pages.

She had told the feline to come back at night but she wondered if she really would come and how long it would take her to come if she was. She didn't want to be up half the night waiting since she _was _tired.

_I'll take a nap. That way I'll be somewhat rested before Luna arrives._ she thought with a satisfied nod before getting up and putting her school work back on her desk.

Usagi covered up her cookies, put her rose away, set her alarm, and turned the lights off. She quickly settled under her covers and closed her eyes, hoping to drop off to sleep.

Unfortunately, she had a coughing fit that delayed her progress, so she popped a cough drop into her mouth and wondered how her talk with Luna would go as she worked to dissolve the mint flavored drop.

As the cough drop slowly disappeared she slowly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Two hours later…

Beeeeep, beeeeep, beeeeep.

Usagi jumped slightly, her heart pounding as her alarm startled her out of her sleep. She quickly turned it off and stretched before she ran her hands over her eyes and face. She looked around her room with droopy eyes and noticed her door was closed. Clearly one of her parents had checked on her and closed it.

She looked at the time again and realized that it was late enough that her parents were probably already in bed.

The weary girl sighed and placed a cough drop in her mouth to try and prevent any coughing and took her tea mug down to the kitchen, confirming her guess that her parents had gone to bed.

She made her way back up to her room, closed her door and checked her balcony for Luna. Not finding the black cat there she moved to her desk and grabbed her school work and books and placed them all on her bed. After she made herself comfortable she started on the math work she had been given.

Only a few problems had been solved when she heard slight tapping at her balcony door. Glancing over she saw Luna sitting in front of the glass, so she got up slowly and opened the door for her. Once the cat was inside she closed the door and went and sat back on her bed.

Usagi calmly put her work away before depositing it as well as her books on her desk, promising herself to come back to it the next day. Once back in her bed she gave Luna her full attention.

"No matter what happens I don't want you to stay. I'm uncomfortable with your presence just as I am with the girls." she said, wanting that to be clear to the cat. She didn't care if that made her sound mean. Luna had lost her trust and she didn't feel comfortable with her staying with her.

Luna was sad but not at all surprised.

"I'm sorry Usagi." Luna began as she sat at the end of the blonds bed. "I haven't been much of a guardian to you. I had assumed after all the months of living with you that I knew everything about you. I let what I did know blind me to what was going on with you and the girls." she said.

"I misjudged your character and because of that the situation escalated into what it is today. I'm now very aware that my attitude made it so that you stopped coming to me with your problems and issues, and I realize that when you did come to me I never believed anything you said. I thought it was nothing more then excuses."

"I'm also aware that my attitude seems to have allowed the girls to lie to me and treat you the way they did. Makoto and Ami told me what really happened at the fight at the temple and how Tuxedo Kamen informed them that he saw the events play out. Because of that I now know that I have been lied to and I'm wondering how many other times I've been lied to."

Luna paused in her speech, wondering if Usagi would say anything but she kept quiet. She didn't want to say anything until the feline was done just as she had with the others.

"In the days since you quit I've noticed behavior in Rei that makes me wonder if the problems between all of us have something to do with her. Her anger, jealousy, annoyance, and irritation when it comes to you. I'm wondering if instead of being solitary soldiers working in a team and thinking for themselves, if Ami and Makoto instead became followers of Rei, and if Rei took advantage of that in order to treat you however she wanted. I also fell into that trap, listening to everyone complain about you all the time, and began to add my own issues and complaints." Luna said with a sigh, her tail twitching in agitation.

"I just thought you should be like the other girls. More studious, responsible, calm, and serious. I admit that I had forgotten that you must have been acting the way you were before we met you, and that it was wrong of me to try and change you into something you were not." she explained morosely.

"I'm sorry about that and I'm also sorry about dismissing your concerns and complaints as a senshi, especially after what I've learned these past few days. As I said before I now know that I was being lied to and my own blindness to what was going on with you surely made the situation worse and helped toward your decision to quit." Luna finished.

Usagi sat there looking at Luna as she thought about everything that the cat had said, trying to determine if it was a good enough apology for her to accept.

"I accept your apology Luna," she began in a low voice, trying not to hurt her throat. "but you need to understand how your attitude toward me made me feel and how your blindness toward my situation made my life all the harder." she said firmly, her low voice making her tone sound grave.

"You lived with me for all those months and yet you didn't seem to be aware of just how hard it was to sneak in and out of my house. The girls didn't have that problem, but for me it made answering their late night summons difficult. Not to mention my fear of having to run all over the city in whatever I happened to be wearing when I got the call and being assaulted by some random man." she explained with a frown.

"Did you know that most of the time since becoming Sailor Moon I've been tired and in pain, and how much it hurt for all of you to blow me off and say I was being lazy and a crybaby." she said in a hurt tone.

"It had gotten so bad that my teach had asked me, the day I had quit, if I was having problems at home. I don't even have to explain to you the problems that would have caused if she had decided to call my house and speak to my parents instead of talking to me." she added in frustration.

"It hurt that my teacher noticed that there was something wrong when the people closest to me didn't." she finished quietly.

"I'm so sorry Usagi. It will never happen again. I'll make sure of it." Luna promised solemnly.

_Of course it won't happen again. I'm not a senshi anymore and won't be in a situation where it could happen._ Usagi thought bitterly, irritated that Luna's concern was coming too late, after the damage had been done.

They were quiet again after that. Each lost in their own thoughts, trying to figure out if they should mention or ask about the rose and letter from Tuxedo Kamen.

"Are there any problems between you and Rei that I'm not aware of because of the lies and my blindness?" Luna asked, deciding to put off the questions about Tuxedo Kamen for a little longer.

"None that I know of. I had only noticed that she seemed to suddenly become angry with me all the time. Verbally abusing me and twisting situations to make it seem like I was at fault. The fight near the temple was only one of many times she had twisted a situation to fit her purpose." Usagi explained with a frown.

"Makoto mentioned when she talked to me earlier that she had pinpointed when it started to when you named me leader." she added thoughtfully.

Luna blinked in shock. She was shocked that it had been going on for so long. Since the beginning of the rainbow crystal fiasco and she hadn't noticed anything at all. She was beginning to realize that she was not being the best of guardians to the girls and Usagi specifically.

They were silent again and Luna decided to just be honest about the Tuxedo Kamen issue and see where it got her.

"I came a few days ago hoping to wait out a sign that I could speak to you, when I noticed a rose and letter on your pillow." Luna said hesitantly, wondering if Usagi would tell her it was none of her business.

Usagi already knew where this was going. It was clear that Luna thought she was lying about who gave her the rose she wore earlier.

_I'll just tell her a small truth to cover up the real truth._ she thought as she leaned over to her nightstand and pulled two roses from the drawer.

"I wasn't lying when I said the rose I wore came from Mamoru." she said as she showed the black cat the flowers in her hand. "Even though it's none of your business the letter pretty much stated in detail how Tuxedo Kamen felt about me." she said as she put the roses back in her nightstand. There was no need for her to elaborate on his feelings. That was for her alone to know.

Luna wasn't sure how she felt about that. She had already decided that it wasn't fair to think of Tuxedo Kamen as the enemy because he was gathering the rainbow crystals, but she would still like to know what his motive was for collecting them. She also didn't like that he knew Usagi's true identity and where she lived or that he had been able to get in and out of her bedroom undetected since she highly doubted anyone in her family would have placed the letter and rose there.

Still, she wasn't positive that he had actually been in her room. She also still wondered what he planned on doing with the information he had on Usagi. Would he _not _say anything? Would he tell her _his _true identity? Had he already done so in the letter? Would he begin to work closely with them?

_He might have done that if Usagi hadn't quit and if he didn't know how she had been treated at the last fight she had participated in. Now he might distance himself if she doesn't come back to the Senshi._ Luna considered.

With that thought she wondered if now that all but one of them had apologized if she would come back, and if not would they be able to convince her to. She knew they needed Usagi back, it was imperative, but that didn't mean it would be easy. Although she hoped it would be.

Usagi watched Luna and hoped she wouldn't ask anything else about Tuxedo Kamen. Not that it would matter if she did. She was under no obligation to tell the cat anything. She just wanted to go to sleep and get rested up and hoped she felt better when she woke up.

"Okay. I'm going to go so you can get some sleep." Luna said, deciding that she had asked enough for the time being. "Thank you for hearing me out. Is it okay if me and the girls visit you?" she asked.

"Yes, as long as Rei is not with you." Usagi answered. "Goodnight." she added as she let Luna out.

"Goodnight Usagi. I hope you feel better in the morning." Luna said before leaping into the tree and making her way to the ground.

Usagi closed the balcony door and the curtains before turning her light off and getting back in bed. She took some of her medicine, wanting to continue getting better, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_Her heels clicked on the marble floor, her white silk dress flowed behind her, and twin streams of silver gold hair trailed on the ground as Serenity stepped gracefully down the stairs in the ballroom._

_The room was filled with numerous people in masks and costumes as was required at a masquerade ball. The only exceptions were her, her mother, and her Senshi._

_A tall man in a black tuxedo, white mask, and black cape with red lining approached her as she reached the bottom._

"_May I have this dance my Princess?" the man asked as he held out a white gloved hand in invitation._

"_You may." Serenity accepted softly with a smile as she placed her hand in his. She knew immediately from the tone of his voice and the deep blue eyes who he was._

"_Serenity." he spoke softly, her name a caress as he pulled her close._

"_Endymion." she breathed as she gazed up into his face. "How are you here?" she asked._

"_The Queen." he answered. "Only she knows who I am and that I am here."_

"_Very wise." she stated since she knew that her Senshi would try and separate them and keep them apart if they knew._

_Princess Serenity and the disguised Endymion spent the dance enjoying each others company, the feel of each others body, and exchanging small smiles._

"_Our time is almost up." Serenity said sadly as she recognized the ending rhythm of the music._

"_But not for long Princess. Meet me out in the maze garden." Endymion said as he guided her with the music._

"_How will you find me?" she asked in concern, not wanting to waste any of their precious time together looking for each other in the maze._

"_Do not worry. I will find you." he assured her with complete confidence._

_Serenity smiled and enjoyed what was left of their dance. When it came to an end they separated and she searched out her mother and informed her quietly of where she was going and who she would be with before heading out to the maze._

_All four of her Senshi followed her but she asked them for privacy once she entered the maze so that the guardian females wouldn't follow her and find her with Endymion._

_She gracefully walked the peaceful pathways and just as he said he would Endymion found her. She was immediately swept into his arms and her lips eagerly sought his, needing more of a connection with him._

_For a time the couple shared hugs and kisses before they decided to get some talking done while they could._

"_Will your Senshi come?" Endymion asked as he looked around as if expecting them to suddenly show up._

"_No. I asked them for privacy before I entered." she assured him calmly._

"_Why is it that they do not like me? Do they believe that I am a danger to you? Do they not approve of me?" he asked, his handsome face marred with a frown._

"_They do not trust you because of the conflict between our planets. I sometimes get the impression that they are afraid of what may happen if we are allowed to be together. Perhaps they feel the struggles will worsen." she explained._

_Endymion closed his eyes at the unfairness and held his princess closer. As far as he was concerned if the Queen trusted him then her Senshi should as well. It was not his fault that the people of their planets had issues with each other. It had been that way before he was even born. They should at least give him the chance to show that he did not have the same thoughts and opinions as his people._

"_What of your guard? How do they feel about me?" Serenity asked, curious to know if they would have to deal with both their guards or just hers._

"_My Generals do not yet know about you. I have been trying to find a way to tell them since I honestly do not believe they would have a problem. Still, I can not be completely sure, so I am trying to find the best way to tell them." Endymion explained as he gently rubbed her back._

_**~~~~~~~~~~Scene Shift~~~~~~~~~~**_

_Endymion stood in front of her with his arms wrapped around her, and she felt the shock of the blast as it hit Endymion in the back. She cried out at the same time he did and watched as he collapsed to the ground._

_"No." She whispered in horror as blood started to pool around him. She immediately went to his side and dropped to her knees. "Endymion! Endymion!" she called to him as she gripped his left hand in both hers._

_He opened his eyes slowly and looked at her. "You need to get to safety Serenity. Find your Senshi." he said weakly._

_"I want to stay with you." she said as tears began to stream down her face._

_"You can't." he said as his eyes began to close._

_"No…don't go." her voice was filled with pain, and she watched as he struggled to open his eyes. "Please…please don't leave me." she begged._

_Endymion looked at her sadly, his breathing shallow._

_"I can't…I can't live without you." she choked out through her sobs._

_"I'm sorry." he said, squeezing her hands with the last of his energy as his eyes closed._

_"No! No!" she screamed, her heart breaking. She felt his hand go limp in her hands and her heart skipped a beat. "Endymion!" she screamed as the pain of her broken heart took over._

_She leaned over him, tears falling on his lifeless face as she gazed at him. "Come back. Please come back." she whispered as her tears continued to bathe his face. 'If you can not come back to me then I will come to you.' she thought after a few moments of crying. She then grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled it from its sheath at his waist._

_She laid it on her lap and caressed his face. "I love you Endymion." she said quietly. She then took a deep breath as she lifted the sword and plunged it into her chest as hard as she could._

* * *

Usagi shifted in her sleep, undisturbed by the scattered streaks of silver-white that began to appear in her golden hair.

**Mamoru's POV**

When Mamoru reached the bottom of the stairs he moved to the living room and saw both of Usagi's parents there.

"I'm leaving now." he said and watched as Mrs. Tsukino smiled and got up to see him out while Mr. Tsukino didn't even acknowledge him.

"I'm glad you stayed for dinner even though it wasn't the best experience. I apologize for my husbands horrible behavior. I don't know what he could have been thinking." Mrs. Tsukino said.

"It's okay. I'm not upset and I'm glad I stayed since I got to spend more time with Usagi." he assured the older woman. He _was_ offended but that wasn't going to stop him from trying to get on the man's good side. "Is it okay if I come for dinner tomorrow night?" he asked.

"Of course you can, and I'm sure Usagi would like that." Mrs. Tsukino said cheerfully.

"Thank you." he said as she opened the door. "Goodnight." he added with a wave as he stepped outside.

"Goodnight Mamoru. Stay safe." he heard Mrs. Tsukino say before the door closed.

Mamoru continued on to the sidewalk and began to make his way home. As he walked he thought about all that had happened since he arrived at his girlfriends house earlier that day. He was glad that Usagi had gotten apologies that she could accept, and hoped that the cat would give her a good one as well.

_Although one apology will be lacking if the cat pulls through, which reminds me that I __need__ to do something about Rei the very next time I see her. I'm done trying to spare her feelings; not with the way she's been treating Usagi._ he thought with an aggravated frown.

He couldn't believe that she was freaking out because he had given Usagi a flower! He wondered if she really would try and question him about it. As if she had the right to know why he did the things he did. He also couldn't believe that she wanted to replace Usagi as Sailor Moon. He didn't know if that was possible but he definitely hoped it wasn't. Not only did the girl want to replace Usagi but she wanted to try and use her until a replacement was found. That made him infuriated! He could just imagine the hot-tempered girl treating Usagi the same even though she wouldn't be a full time senshi.

_She would probably be treated worse!_ Mamoru thought darkly, then sighed and ran his hands through his hair as he walked. He decided to turn his thoughts elsewhere before he became too angry at Rei. He would most likely end up calling her and dealing with her that night, which was the last thing he wanted to do.

He wanted to give her time to cool off after her argument with Usagi. Not to mention he didn't want to talk to her any sooner then he had to. The way she acted was a perfect example of why he didn't really date and wasn't interested in the girls around him. Most of them were quick to get jealous and possessive. Most people would think only guys acted that way but they would be wrong. That type of behavior wasn't gender specific, and often led to fatal encounter type situations. In his case Rei would be the one having a fatal encounter if she didn't come to her senses!

_Well I'm glad I got to talk to Usagi's mom about my feelings. She's a really nice woman and from the advice she gave me and her actions, it looks like she's rooting for me._ he thought a small smile.

That was a good thing. He was going to need all the help he could get with Usagi's father. At least he hadn't been banned from the house. A small victory but a victory none-the-less.

Mamoru then turned his thoughts to what his girl had written about. All the issues she seemed to have about being Sailor Moon had come flowing out with the ink. He had to admit that there had been a lot and he was understanding more and more why she had quit and didn't want the job back.

A lot of the issues she had were very valid for someone her age and for any female. Her fear of being assaulted while out at night was serious. Even he had that concern. He always wondered if this was the night he got mugged, too busy trying to get to Sailor Moon to pay attention to his surroundings.

He also understood that the other senshi didn't have the problems that came with having a family that Usagi did.

Mamoru knew from all the rambling Rei did that she lived with her grandfather, and from bits and pieces here and there that Makoto lived alone while Ami lived with her mother.

Ami's mother worked long hours and was hardly at home, and while he was sure that Ami wished her mother would spend more time with her, it had to make her life easier since she wouldn't have to explain where she was at any given time or why she was coming home in the middle of the night. The same went for Makoto. She was like him, since they lived alone they answered to no one. He was sure that also like him she wished she had her parents, but it had to make her senshi life easier in the long run.

With Rei her grandfather didn't keep a close eye on her like parents would. He seemed happy with her good grades, having friends, and doing her work at the shrine. His Usagi on the other hand had to constantly lie to her parents and sneak around to do her job as Sailor Moon. It had to be stressful and tiring, and even more so when the team your working with didn't care and made things harder.

Another thing she had written that concerned him was her seemingly diminishing power. He hadn't noticed it before but now that she had mentioned it he did see how the other senshi weakened the enemy before she finished it. Even he had helped to do so on occasion. He didn't know why that was happening but he would put some serious thought into it to see if he could come up with some kind of explanation.

The other concerns Usagi had were confidence issues. Those too he was not surprised about after hearing what the Senshi put her through. He would have to help her with that. He was sure he could since his encouragement as Tuxedo Kamen always worked.

He would start tonight. In the letter he planned to write he would work some encouragement in along with some other things he wanted to say to her.

Twenty minutes later…

Once Mamoru got home he changed his clothes and made himself comfortable, then grabbed his books and a snack and settled down in his living room.

He immediately took out some paper and a pen and began his letter to Usagi before he forgot what he wanted to say. When he finished he folded the sheets of paper and slipped them into an envelope and wrote her name on the front. He would make sure to drop it off before he went to school.

The quiet young man ended his night by studying and only went to bed when he could no longer keep his eyes open.

* * *

_Mamoru was happy. He and Usagi had left a casual restaurant not too long ago and now they were walking hand in hand enjoying the quiet evening._

_Suddenly the Sailor Senshi appeared in front of them, coming out of various hiding spots._

"_Get away from him Usagi." Sailor Mercury said worriedly._

"_He's Tuxedo Kamen! You can't trust him!" Sailor Mars said angrily._

"_He's the enemy!" Sailor Jupiter said with a frown._

"_I already know who he is and you all are wrong." he heard Usagi say as she tightened her hold on his hand as if afraid they would try and snatch her away._

_They kept trying but his girl wouldn't listen._

"_Go away! Leave us alone. I'm not one of you anymore. I can be with him if I want to!" he listened to Usagi shout and part of him worried she would lose her voice again. He didn't want that since it had only just come back._

_The Senshi ignored her and tried to take her away and attack him, but both of them transformed into Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen within the blink of an eye and held them off._

_He idly wondered, as he tossed his deadly roses, how she had transformed since he knew that she had given back all that made her Sailor Moon._

_They tried attacking him again while Sailor Moon was distracted. Sailor Jupiter sent a lightening strike straight at him, but Sailor Moon appeared out of nowhere, jumping in front of the attack to protect him._

_Sailor Moon fell back into his arms with pained scream, blood spreading across her chest where the attack had hit. He was shocked, horrified, and sad, but was lucid enough to know that he needed to get her to the hospital._

_Tuxedo Kamen picked up his little heroine and ran in the direction of the hospital with the Sailor Senshi chasing after him, shouting at him and still trying to get her away from him despite what they had just done to her._

"_Don't worry about me. I'll be okay as long as you find your princess." he heard her say softly and he glanced down at her in confusion. "We are still lost. The only way to find and protect me is to find your princess, which means finding the silver crystal." she said just as softly as before._

_Suddenly the buildings around them began to fade and disappear and a white marble pathway formed in front of him._

"_Find her…Find us." he heard Sailor Moon whisper before she closed her eyes and faded from his arms._

_Mamoru stopped and thought his heart did as well. Where did she go? Why did she disappear? How was he going to find her?!_

_He took a deep breath and remembered her words. He decided to do as she said even though a part of him realized that her message was for when he woke up._

_He hurried down the fog covered path, knowing that he no longer had to worry about the Senshi, and came to the familiar balcony which was occupied by the princess he still could not see clearly._

"_Please, help me find Usagi. She's hurt really bad." he begged the royal female, trying to see her through the fog._

"_You will find her once you find the silver crystal. Everything comes back to the crystal. The only way to help us both is to find the silver crystal." the Princess said, her soft voice floating to him._

"_Who are you?" he asked in a loud voice, completely frustrated by the situation._

"_You know me. The crystal will help you remember." her soft voice revealed._

"_What happens if I can't find it?" Mamoru asked, since she seemed to be in a mood to answer his questions._

"_We will all be lost since the enemy would then have it if you do not." her soft voice pitched to him sadly._

"_Is there any way to find out who you are without the crystal?" he asked desperately. "If I find you then maybe you can help find the crystal." he explained._

"_I do not know. I only know that the crystal will help you remember who I am and find me."_

"_Please find the silver crystal."_

_The Princess' last words echoed as the fog thickened until he could no longer see her._

* * *

Mamoru woke gasping for air and disoriented before the details of his dream returned. He realized instantly that the dream was different then the others he had had over the months. The princess had never answered his questions.

He lay back down and looked at the time only to see that he had woke up early. He decided to take his extra time and think about his dream and what he had learned.

The fight with the Senshi made it clear that he was worried about what would happen when they found out he was Tuxedo Kamen. Although he seriously hope Usagi wouldn't get caught in the crossfire like she did in his dream.

That thought led him to his usual, yet different, meeting with the princess. It was not lost on him that both she and his dream Usagi thought the silver crystal would help them. He knew that it would help find the princess, but how was it supposed to help in Usagi's case? Would finding the crystal and in turn finding the princess help Usagi if she were Sailor Moon again? Would it make things easier for her? Would it help them when the Senshi found out he was Tuxedo Kamen?

_But how could that he?_ he wondered. _If Usagi is right and I have some kind of romantic connection to the princess then why would she want to help smooth things over for us?_ he asked himself as he shifted under his covers. _Then again, if I'm right about it being reincarnation then it makes a lot more sense. We're supposed to be together and the Senshi wouldn't be able to stop us. Usagi would be the princess I've been dreaming about since I was a child. A part of her would have been reaching out to me to help awaken her. And I would be the guy she's been dreaming about, the one she's been having feelings so strong for that they make her cry even though she can't remember._ he considered optimistically.

The fact that the Princess had a connection to him to be able to come to him in his dreams, and he had a connection to Usagi to come to her as Sailor Moon gave a great deal of credibility to them being reincarnations.

Still, it wasn't proof so he wasn't going to get his hopes up. He would simply keep it in mind.

That brought up something else he wanted to keep in mind. The Princess didn't know if there was a way for him to remember her or find out who she was without the silver crystal, but that didn't mean that there wasn't a way.

If he could remember her and find her without the crystal then that would be great. He would just have to help her remember who she was. That's not to say they wouldn't need to find the crystal anymore because they would since it belonged to her, but surely she would know where it was or what exactly it looked like.

_I'll talk to Usagi about all of this. She might have some ideas and maybe a dream of her own to share. If she remembers it anyway._ Mamoru thought as he turned his alarm off before it could go off needlessly.

He took a quick shower, got dressed, and ate a quick breakfast. He then made sure he had everything he would need for the day, including his letter to Usagi, and left his apartment. It only took him a few minutes to get to his girlfriends house and knock on the door.

"Good morning Mamoru." Mrs. Tsukino said after answering the door.

"Good morning. I just wanted to leave this for Usagi." Mamoru said as he handed her the envelope containing his letter.

"I'll make sure she gets it as soon as she wakes up." Mrs. Tsukino promised. "Will you still be coming for dinner?" she asked.

"Yes. I'll be back some time this afternoon to spend some time with Usagi before dinner." he assured the older woman.

"Okay. I'll see you then. Have a good day." Mrs. Tsukino said with a smile.

"Thanks. Bye." Mamoru said as he walked back to his idling car and headed for his college campus.

**Girl's POV**

Ami and Makoto sat underneath their usual tree with Luna, who had met them there as soon as the lunch hour began, settled on Ami's lap so as not to draw attention.

None of them had spoken about what had happened at Usagi's house the day before because they each had wanted time to let it all settle and think everything through.

They had each given a brief summary of their conversation with Usagi, and Luna had even told them about her suspicions about Tuxedo Kamen knowing Usagi's identity and about the letter and rose. She explained that she hadn't said anything before because she wanted conformation. It wouldn't have done any good to make a big deal out of it only for it to turn out to only be from Mamoru.

Besides that, she didn't want to keep things from them. Secrets, lies, and half-truths were part of the reason they were in the mess they were in.

Currently Luna was telling the girls what she found out about Rei's conversation with Usagi. She had gone to Rei's temple after they left Usagi's house because she wanted and needed to know what had happened. She needed to know if it would have any effect on getting Usagi back on the team.

It had been clear right away that it would have an effect and the two girls agreed once they understood what had happened.

It was clear that Rei either didn't believe or didn't care what Ami had said, and Luna confirmed, about their DNA having changed and that they could not be replaced as their planets senshi.

_I don't like the fact that Rei made it seem like we're really looking for a new leader amongst ourselves, or that it was a group decision to replace Usagi as Sailor Moon while making her only fight when we call her to until the replacement is found._ Makoto thought with a frown.

It reminded her of her thoughts the previous day about Rei's jealousy of Usagi being about more then her friendship with Mamoru, and how it may have crossed over into their Senshi life.

Makoto told Ami and Luna her thoughts concerning that to get their opinion since she decided she didn't want to wait to tell Luna after Ami.

"I hadn't thought of that before, but it does seem it may be the case." Ami commented thoughtfully. "It's possible that Rei could be jealous of Usagi for a number of reasons." she continued. "Being the first senshi, for the manner in which they became friends- Rei could think that Usagi was only doing it out of pity, for being the only one who can destroy youma alone, for being made leader, for being friends with the only guy she likes, maybe even for being the one that Tuxedo Kamen always focuses on." Ami reasoned.

"Her jealousy could have led to anger and hostility and led her to do and say things that would make Usagi look bad to us while making herself look good." she finished her analysis.

Luna agreed that that could very well be the case. Especially with learning just how much Rei had lied to her and understanding how much of a toll it had taken in Usagi's life.

"It may also be because Rei might have low self-esteem, and she's using Usagi to make her feel better about herself." Luna considered.

"That reminds me of bullies." Ami said with a frown. "We need to do something about this situation before it gets worse, because from what I know of bullies they get violent sooner or later. I'm also worried that if Rei is acting this way with Usagi, how will she behave toward the Moon Princess when we find her."

"Will she be jealous of the girl for being the princess? For having the silver crystal? Would she blame the princess for all the things we've been through to find her? What if the princess takes a liking to Mamoru? If she could be angry at Usagi for just being his friend, what will she do to the princess for wanting to be more then friends?" Ami questioned in concern.

Makoto grimaced at that. She did not like what her quiet friend was getting at, but then something disturbing came to her then.

"What if Rei secretly thinks she may be the princess?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I hope she's not." Ami replied instantly. She didn't care if that made her sound bad. Rei was already demanding and somewhat controlling. Adding a sense of royalty to that would make her even worse.

Luna didn't comment. Although she secretly hoped Rei was not the Moon Princess they were looking for, they couldn't know for sure if she was or wasn't. Rei may turn out to be the princess for all they know and she didn't want the girls to be influenced by anything she said, especially since they were influenced enough by their own opinions and feelings for the hot-tempered girl.

"What are we going to do about Rei's attitude and temper toward Usagi and getting Usagi back on the team?" Ami questioned. "Do you know how she feels about Rei?" she asked Luna, hoping their sick friend had voiced her opinion when they spoke.

"No. All I know is that Rei is not allowed to come with us when we visit her. I'm not sure if that is permanent or temporary." Luna said quietly.

"I'm fine with that. As long as we _can_ visit her, that's what matters. And we should do that today." Makoto said. "Maybe we can find out how she feels about Rei, and if she's willing to come back to the team now that we've apologized."

"I think we should visit her as well." Ami said and Luna nodded her agreement. "But I'm wondering if we should tell her about our DNA changing and how she can't be replaced and will always be Sailor Moon." she said.

"I don't think we should." Makoto began. "Not because I want it to be a secret but because I want Usagi to come back because she wants to. Not because she thinks she has to and doesn't have a choice."

"I agree but we might have to if the situation doesn't change. Before the Negaverse realizes we are having problems amongst ourselves." Luna said in a serious tone.

Ami and Makoto had no problem agreeing to that. Neither of them wanted to find out what Zoisite would do if he found out.

From that agreement their conversation ended and they were able to finish their lunches before the hour ended and head back to class. After school was finished the duo met up with Luna and headed to Usagi's house.

**Usagi's POV**

Usagi woke with a gasp, tears streaming down the sides of her face. She clutched her chest and grimaced at the phantom pain that was already fading. She couldn't remember the end of her dream, the part that caused her pain. Just the man's name and the feelings it brought her, but she did remember the beginning of it.

There were two things that really stood out. First, there were four senshi. She couldn't remember their faces but none of their uniforms looked like what she had worn as Sailor Moon. The blue, green, and red that three of the females wore was familiar.

The orange was not.

Did that mean that there was another senshi that would be joining the girls? One that would take her place? Because there had been no senshi of the Moon in her dream, which made her quitting the Senshi all the more justified.

Second, the Endymion guy had been dressed just like Tuxedo Kamen. Exactly like him. Down to the last detail except for the hat, and apparently he and the older girl that looked like her were from two planets that were having issues. Neither one of them was from Mercury since she remembered him saying he and his mother had been there visiting the Queen from her last dream.

Usagi sighed as she sat up. She would mention all of this to Mamoru when he came later.

She glanced at her nightstand to check the time and saw an envelope with her name written on it. She opened it and pulled what was obviously a letter from it.

_He wrote it!_ she thought happily, knowing from the opening that it was from her secret boyfriend. She wiggled around to make herself comfortable and began to read.

_**My Usagi,**_

_**I told you you would have another letter soon and here it is. I thought a lot about what you said tonight on my way home. About all the issues you've been having as Sailor Moon. I understand and you have very valid reasons to be concerned. Running around the city at night, most likely in your pajamas, can be dangerous. No forget that. It **__**is**__** dangerous. I don't know how the Senshi transformations work but I imagine you would be too tired or in too much pain to keep it in place. That or you just don't want to be seen going home as Sailor Moon. Either way you would be left in whatever you were wearing, and there are a lot of unsavory people out at night.**_

_**I don't have the same fear of sexual assault as you but I worry about something similar. I worry about being mugged when I'm not paying attention. I always wonder what would happen if they find that I don't have anything on me since I would be in my night clothes. It's not like with the youma's where you can fight and destroy them. I can't go tossing my roses at them. They may look nice and even smell good but they **__**are**__** lethal. Can't go around killing humans.**_

_**So again, I understand. I also understand that the other Senshi don't have to worry about sneaking around like you. They either don't have family or their family isn't as involved in their lives as yours is.**_

_**As for your powers. That's something I hadn't noticed until you said something, and I worry about it. I remember you being able to fight and defeat youma's on your own. Your power shouldn't be decreasing. If anything it should have increased as time passed. I want to ask if you told the others but I don't think you did, and by now I can imagine what their response would have been if you had. Nothing constructive.**_

_**I can definitely relate to a lot of the issues you have. I'll tell you what life has been like for me as Tuxedo Kamen. I know that most people might say we are focusing on the negative side of this hero business but it's kind of hard not to. Being Tuxedo Kamen has made my life stressful, tiring, and painful to name a few. It has made me lie to my best friend, someone until you came along was my only friend. I worry about getting so hurt that I would have to miss class or end up in the hospital. How would I explain how I got hurt? Or worse, if I'm killed. If that happened who would know? Would my body be found? Would anyone care if I suddenly disappeared one day? I don't even want to go into my fear of what would happen if I were captured by the enemy.**_

_**Let's not forget that in the beginning I had no idea I was Tuxedo Kamen. The missing chunks of time, blank spaces in my memory, and ending up in random places and not knowing how I got there were beyond stressful. There were more then a few times where I thought I was going crazy, but what was I going to do about it? There was nothing I **__**could**__** do.**_

_**Then there's something that you most likely don't know about. I can always feel it when you transform. I don't know why. There must be some kind of link between us that allows it. I get this sudden pain in my head that lets me know that I need to get to you, and when I transform I can always tell where you are. I can also feel your emotions when you're transformed. It lets me know when you're in danger, when you're hurt, when you're sad, when you're confused. I've gotten pretty good at being able to tell how you feel before it comes through the link. You might wonder how I can do that since I would have to be watching you and the enemy but I've managed. I didn't want to rely on the link in case something happened to it.**_

_**I know you still want to know why I want you to be Sailor Moon again, that you're still trying to understand. It's difficult to explain, I can't even explain it to myself. I just know that I want you out there with me. That I **__**need**__** you out there with me. I could always say that it's for the good of the city- and it is, but I'm going to be selfish here. **__**I **__**need you to continue being Sailor Moon. It feels like there's something we need to do. I don't know what but the feeling is there.**_

_**Anyway, just think about it. Please? For me? You're a great senshi Usagi. You always have been. You always take your duty seriously. You're always at fights even when your tired or in pain. Even when you felt that the other Senshi had turned on you, you were still there fighting the enemy and protecting people. And there's something else I want to point out. You may be afraid that someone will be hurt or killed because of you but let me remind you that no one actually has been. I think this fear of yours, while very valid, is a combination of your fears and worries and the Senshi's repeated negative words getting to you. You can only hear something and think something so much before you start to believe it.**_

_**You know, I don't like the tone of this letter. I think in my next one I'll write more about myself. We are supposed to be getting to know each other after all. I can't wait to see you again. I'll definitely have a rose ready for when I do.**_

_**Your baka,**_

_**Mamoru**_

Usagi sighed as she lay the letter on her lap. Mamoru had said so much. A lot of it was shocking to her and the rest of it was soothing to her self-esteem and conscious. It was really nice to know that someone understood her fears and worries, and the fact that he had some of the same fears and worries she did helped her feel like she wasn't alone.

_It's nice to know that I'm not the only one having a hard time with this secret identity life. I wonder how he deals with it, especially since he didn't have others to talk to like I did. At least I did before they started criticizing everything I did._ she thought curiously.

She decided then to think about being Sailor Moon again. Only because Mamoru asked and only because of the way he asked. He wanted her back out there to fight with him, at his side, not because he suddenly realized that her power was needed.

_I'm curious about this feeling he has about us needing to do something. Maybe I need to help him find his princess and he needs to help me figure out who that Endymion guy is to me._ she considered thoughtfully. _Although I'm still hoping it's reincarnation, and if that's the case then we would still need to help each other remember or the dreams won't stop._ she thought with a sigh.

Usagi looked the letter over once more and decided that she had done enough thinking on those topics.

_I'll come back to this later. The dream as well._ she thought as she refolded the letter and placed it in the envelope and stored it in her nightstand with her other letter and roses.

After putting her robe on Usagi made her way down to the kitchen where she found her mother cleaning up the remains of breakfast.

"Good morning mom." Usagi said quietly, not wanting to agitate her throat. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about a few things?" she asked as she sat down.

"Of course you can." Mrs. Tsukino said as she finished cleaning. "You start while I make breakfast, but first tell me how you're feeling." she said as she began to move around the kitchen and prepare to heat some water for tea.

Usagi told her mother that she was feeling better, that all her aches and weariness were less then they had been the day before but were still there. As she explained her condition she reminded herself to be as honest as she could about her feelings for her boyfriend.

"I like Mamoru. I really _really _like him." she began to tell her mom as she thought about the raven-haired young man. "I know that my feelings seem to have come on quick. They felt that way at first, until I actually thought about how I really felt about Mamoru. I think they seemed to have come on quick because they had already been there." she tried to explain.

"We were usually arguing, teasing, and insulting each other whenever we saw one another, and I think that's the reason I hadn't noticed any feelings toward him at the beginning. Or why I might have ignored them since at the time I thought he was irritating, annoying, mean, cold, and distant. But now…" she trailed off with a light sigh as she thought of the roses and the kisses on her cheek.

"Now I'm seeing a different side of him that I really like. It's also helped that I now know that he's liked me before these past few days even if he hadn't realized it at the time, and it also helps that he's not afraid to show me how he feels." she explained with a smile.

Usagi went on to shyly explain how Mamoru had asked her to be his girlfriend and how she had said yes, but that they had decided to keep it secret because of her dad and because one of her _friends _liked him. However, they both had agreed that her mom should know about their dating status.

Mrs. Tsukino nodded along with her daughters tale and noted how very similar it sounded to what young Mamoru had revealed to her the night before. It was also very clear that despite already deciding to date one another, the young man wanted their approval before making it public.

She already approved of him because of what she knew of him so far, as well as for his prompt actions in taking car of her daughter and seeing her safely home. Now she could add his wanting her to know about their decision to begin dating to the list. Not only that but his willingness to stand up to her husband the way he had.

_His feelings for Usagi __must__ be strong, especially for him to put up with Kenji's attitude._ the older woman thought as she set a hot cup of lemon tea in front of her daughter, and then voiced something that had bothered her about what her daughter said.

"Which one of your friends likes him, and why did you emphasize the word that way?" Mrs. Tsukino asked with a slight frown.

Usagi sighed and took a sip of the hot liquid as she thought about Rei.

"Rei, the one that left last night, is the one that likes him." she said quietly. "Mamoru went on a few dates with her in the hopes that she would see that they had nothing in common and lose interest instead of him out right rejecting her and hurting her feelings." she explained.

"As a result of those dates she seems to be under the impression that he's her boyfriend, and she doesn't like the fact that I could be anything other then an enemy to him since that's what we've appeared to be since I've known her." she continued as her mother placed a bowl of hot cinnamon oatmeal in front of her.

"She even got jealous of the rose he gave me yesterday. She was angry with me for having it and angry with him for giving it to me. I told her we were friends otherwise we wouldn't bother speaking to each other but she didn't believe it." she finished and took a cautious bite of the hot oatmeal.

Mrs. Tsukino shook her head at that, understanding more about why the young man had been so cautious in speaking the night before and not wanting Usagi's friends to know. This Rei girl would have thought he was seeing another girl, her friend, while he was dating her, and he couldn't be sure that the other girls wouldn't tell her if they found out.

"I hadn't been getting along with any of the girls recently," Usagi began after a few bites of her oatmeal. "but Rei most of all and yesterday they had each apologized to me, hoping to start mending our friendship. Rei didn't though. She had come in complaining and being jealous about the rose because Mamoru had never given her one."

"It was her saying things like that and a lack of an apology that had made me so angry. That and the fact that I just knew that she didn't think she had done anything wrong." she continued. "Right now I'm not sure if I even want to fix things between us or if I even care if she finds out about me and Mamoru at this point." she finished as she stirred her oatmeal.

"While I'm glad things are on the mend with the other girls I'm glad that you are going to be spending time away from Rei for a while. It's good that you're taking the time to see if you really want anything to do with her." Mrs. Tsukino said. "I also think Mamoru needs to talk to her and set her straight." she added with a slight frown.

"Me too." Usagi agreed. "He'll most likely do it the next time he sees her because I know he doesn't appreciate how she's been acting when it comes to him." she said before taking a sip of her tea.

"Mom?" she said a few moments of silence. "Will you keep our relationship a secret from dad?" she asked hesitantly, afraid her mother would refuse.

"Of course I will dear." Mrs. Tsukino agreed with a smile. "After all, it's not everyday that my daughter brings a boy home…so-to-speak." she said, remembering how the young man had actually brought her daughter home. "Oh! Did you get the envelope I left on your nightstand? Your young man came by and left it this morning." she added in a conspiratorial tone.

"I did. Thanks for making sure I would see it right away." Usagi said with a bright smile.

Usagi smiled contently as she sat eating and drinking her tea while her mother went on and on about how much she liked Mamoru, how she thought he was good for her, and her for him. How she thought he was so sweet to bring her flowers and brave to stand up to her father the way he had. She would definitely have to remember to tell him how much her mother liked him.

After Usagi finished her breakfast and tea she went back upstairs and took a bath to get herself cleaned up and refreshed for Mamoru's visit since she needed to anyway, and because she wanted to eat with him and her family again and didn't want to smell bad.

When she was finished she dressed in a clean pair of cream colored pajamas with pink flowers on them and her robe. She straightened her bed, opened the curtains to her balcony, then got her school work and text books and began to work where she left off the night before from the comfort of her bed.

She spent the next few hours focused entirely on her school work. She had even brought out her star locket to listen to its soothing melody as she worked. Not even the coughing fit she had could interrupt her focus, but she was thankful for the tea her mother brought her after she heard her.

Usagi was down to the one-page handouts and had just popped a cough drop into her mouth when she heard a knock on the front door through her open door. She hoped it was Mamoru but there were multiple vices so it couldn't be him.

_It's probably Luna, Ami, and Makoto coming for a visit._ she guessed and quickly shut her locket and placed it in her nightstand with Mamoru's letters and roses. There was no way she wanted them to see it. It hadn't been any of their business when she was Sailor Moon and it was even less now that she no longer was.

Moments later Makoto, Ami, and Luna were knocking on her open door and greeting her. She calmly returned their greetings and answered questions about how she was feeling.

As she was putting her school work away she noticed Makoto closing her door and groaned inwardly, aware that they wanted to talk about something that was probably Senshi related and none of her business.

"I found out what Rei said that had made you so angry and I informed Ami and Makoto earlier." Luna began as she sat on the side of Usagi's bed. "None of us knew that Rei wanted to try and use you until a replacement could be found." she said sincerely.

"Rei had called a meeting wanting to pick a new leader and find someone to replace you on the team, but we hadn't agreed to any of it." Ami continued where Luna left off.

"That was nice of you but I don't care if you pick a new leader or replace me." Usagi said calmly as she dissolved her cough drop. "When I quit I had fully expected you to do just that. And you really shouldn't be discussing anything Senshi related with me." she finished.

"Does that mean you're not going to come back? Even though we apologized?" Makoto asked quietly.

"No I'm not." Usagi answered bluntly. "My feelings and concerns about how I was as a senshi haven't changed. Rei also clearly hasn't changed and I don't want or need to put up with her attitude and behavior." she stated firmly. It didn't matter that she was considering going back for Mamoru. She hadn't made a decision yet and they certainly didn't need to know that.

"So how are things going for all of you? How's school?" she asked, changing the subject.

They answered that everything was going well for each of them, and that they assumed everything was going well with Rei. They had even tried to tell Rei about Usagi's changes in school, but she refused to listen and claimed she was cheating or had memorized the answers.

Usagi just shook her head. This was another reason why she wanted to stay away from Rei. She was a negative influence in her life and if the girl didn't change she didn't think she wanted anything to do with her.

"What do you think about Rei? How do you feel about her?" Luna asked.

"I'm considering ending what's left of our friendship." Usagi answered honestly. "Rei is mean, demanding, controlling, demeaning, and an all around negative influence in my life. She is no longer allowed in my home, and I'm going to do everything I can to stay away from her until I make a decision on our friendship." she said.

"I hope you all don't let her influence you anymore. Also, since I'm distancing myself from her she might turn on one of you. I hope she doesn't but it's possible." she cautioned them. "It might have only been me that she acts this way with or any mention of me so keep that in mind." she added.

Luna frowned at that. It wasn't something she had considered. It also brought back thoughts of what would happen when they found the Moon Princess. Would Rei turn on the royal girl the way she had with Usagi? And what of before that? Would she turn on Ami or Makoto to fill in for what she could no longer do to Usagi? Or would it only happen when she was jealous or angry with one of them?

This situation seemed to be getting worse. She now knew the problems and the cause, but she was no closer on how to get Usagi back as Sailor Moon. She was almost positive Usagi wouldn't even consider coming back if Rei didn't change.

She needed to report to Central Control. Maybe they would have an idea of what to do.

Makoto and Ami hadn't thought of that either. Ami knew that she should have, considering she would be the most likely target. Makoto knew she wouldn't be a target because she was a fighter. She could give it back as good as she got it.

Still, they would need to do something about Rei. She needed a serious wakeup call. Something that would finally convince her that she needed to change.

"I think we should go now. We did interrupt you, and we need to do our homework as well." Ami said as she stood up, and Makoto and Luna agreed. They wanted to stay and do their homework with her, but their friendship was still too fragile to invite themselves to hangout when it was only supposed to be a visit.

They said their goodbyes and the trio left. Usagi didn't even think about their visit once they were gone. All it did was let her know that they wanted her back on the team, and that she was right to stay away from Rei. She hoped that Rei didn't turn on them but there was nothing she could do.

Now she was gong to get back to her makeup work. She hoped she could finish it all before Mamoru came. She wanted to hangout with him before dinner, especially since she wanted to share her latest dream. She also hoped that if she finished her work she could go to school the next day since she was doing much better and was sure she would be even better in the morning.

Two hours later…

Usagi was just finishing the last one-page handout when there was a knock on the front door. She knew it had to be Mamoru. They weren't expecting anyone else and her little brother was already home.

She heard voices, moments later she heard footsteps on the stairs, and then there he was. Her boyfriend walking through her bedroom doorway. She knew she had a big smile on her face and the only thing that kept her from blushing was the fact that he was smiling just as hard.

Usagi watched as he settled on the floor next to her bed and pulled a perfect red rose out of nowhere. He silently handed it to her and gave her a kiss on her cheek, both of them shivering at the electric feeling accompanying the contact.

"Hi." Mamoru said softly with a smile.

"Hi." Usagi replied in a whisper, suddenly shy as she placed the rose in her hair behind her ear.

"It's very bright in here and you're not under your covers. Does that mean you're feeling better?" he asked.

"Yes it does. My throat still hurts but not too bad, and I'm still feeling weak but not as weak as yesterday." she answered.

"And feeling well enough to do homework." he noticed as he looked at the books and paper scattered around her bed.

"Yeah. I started last night after I took a nap and started again this morning. This is all I have left." she said as she showed him the thick five page or so handout. "I was hoping that if I finished today then I could go to school tomorrow." she finished.

"Walking to school might take up all your energy if you're still feeling weak in the morning." Mamoru said with a concerned frown. "How about I give you a ride to school and pick you up after and bring you home? That way you don't waste any energy and you can get home quick so you can continue to rest and get even better for the next day." he suggested.

"I love it and I'm sure mom will appreciate that I won't have to exert myself to get to and from school." Usagi said, happy about the possibility of spending time alone with Mamoru away from her bedroom.

"I'll go tell your mom and see if she's okay with the idea." he said as he got up. It only took him a few minutes and he was back with her mom's agreement.

Usagi was happy, but an uncertain sigh escaped her.

"I had wanted to finish before you got here but now that you're here I want to talk, especially since I want to share what I remember of my dream." she said with a slight frown.

"I want to share my dream too." Mamoru said with a frown of concentration as he tried to think up a solution that would work for her. "How about you finish one or two pages and then we can talk. You can finish the rest later." he suggested helpfully and watched as his girl nodded and got back to her work.

As Mamoru sat there quietly so as to not distract Usagi he kept eyeing her long hair. He couldn't help it. It was spilling over the side of her bed and pooling on the floor next to him. He wanted to touch it, run his fingers through the long length. He finally decided to stop torturing himself and if she minded she would tell him.

He reached over and ran his fingers through the thick silky length that spilled over the side and through the length pooled on the floor, pulling it into his lap for better access.

Mamoru peeked over at Usagi and saw her watching him with a smile.

"I'll find times to lave it down since you seem to like it." she said softly and Mamoru rewarded her with a happy grin and a blush.

As Mamoru got his fill of running his fingers through her hair he finally noticed something that had been catching his eye but that he had been too busy luxuriating in the feel of her silky tresses to really pay attention to. White, almost silver strands were mixed in with the gold. He almost immediately thought it was stress, but then discounted it because it wasn't gray strands.

Now that he was really looking at it they seemed to be streaked throughout her hair. He looked up to her head as she was bent over, writing, and narrowed his eyes as he realized it started at her roots and went all the way to her ends. It wasn't noticeable if you weren't examining her hair but they were there.

_These weren't there last night._ he suddenly realized with slightly wide eyes. _I'll wait until she's finished with her work before I say anything._ he thought as he continued to run his fingers through her hair and gaze at the new silver white strands. He wondered why the new color was there and if it meant anything as he waited patiently for his girlfriend to finish her school work.

It wasn't too long before Usagi finished two pages of her packet and began to gather her scattered papers and store them and her books on her desk. Once she was settled back on her bed she noticed that Mamoru looked a bit troubled as he went back to touching her hair.

"What's wrong Mamoru?" she asked quietly.

"You have white almost silver like strands streaked throughout your hair and they weren't there last night." he explained.

Usagi was shocked and when she looked at her hair she saw them too and was surprised she hadn't noticed them when she took her bath.

"Can I hear your dream? Since this color seems to have come in over night your dream might have something to do with it." Mamoru said as he looked at her.

Usagi explained what she remembered in detail- blushing at some points, what she couldn't remember, and what she had taken note of.

"You know…now that I'm thinking about it the girls hair was a cross between silver and gold. It's that color in each dream that I remember." she added thoughtfully.

Mamoru frowned in thought as he played with the ends of Usagi's hair. This really was starting to look like reincarnation. What were the odds that she would dream about an older looking version of herself with the color hair hers was starting to turn as well as the Endymion guy dressed like he did when he was Tuxedo Kamen?

He said as much to Usagi and reminded her that the princess he was looking for had the same color hair.

"I don't think your dreams are dreams at all but memories." Mamoru said quietly as he looked her in the eye. "Maybe Sailor Moon wasn't there because she hadn't existed in that life because she was busy being the Princess, and the senshi that wore orange is the last of the guardians that hasn't shown up yet." he finished just as quietly.

"If that's the case and I turn out to really be the Moon Princess, why was I made Sailor Moon if such a senshi never existed?" she asked quietly, neither one of them wanting her family to overhear their conversation.

Mamoru thought about that as his fingers weaved through her hair in his distraction.

"Maybe since you were the first senshi found whatever it was that caused Luna to know who a senshi was recognized who you _really_ were but knew that it was too soon for you to be revealed, and until then you would be unknowingly protected by being apart of the Senshi." he reasoned.

Usagi sighed and wanted to deny everything that had just come out of his mouth, but it was all very logical and made sense.

"It would explain the dreams." Usagi said slowly as she looked down at her hands. "Maybe some part of my mind is trying to prepare me so it wouldn't come as a total shock. And it would also explain my lack of skills as a senshi. The girls were warriors in the other life whereas if I'm really the Moon Princess then this warrior business is a first for me." she finished thoughtfully as she looked back to him.

"I agree. It does make sense." Mamoru said and decided it was time to share his dream since it might offer up more clues.

He explained everything that he remembered from start to finish, and the thoughts and conclusions he had come to.

Usagi sighed yet again. More things were adding up to this being reincarnation. She remembered in his letter Mamoru mentioned his connection to her that let him know she had transformed and might need his help. It would stand to reason that her connection to him could be the dreams he had been having.

The part about everything being lost if the enemy found the silver crystal also fell into place since the enemy was currently collecting the rainbow crystals, presumably to find the silver crystal, and anything the enemy did was bad news.

"I think it's a good idea to find a way to remember without the crystal." Usagi said after telling him her thoughts.

"I agree because even with the dreams, our feelings involved because of them, and your hair changing color- it isn't enough. We need solid proof and we can only get that if we remember." Mamoru concluded.

"True. I…" she began but paused as something he said registered. She knew that she had feelings involved because of the dreams, but what feelings did he have involved?

"I thought you said you didn't have feelings when it came to your dreams, so what could you be feeling?" she asked.

"It's not my dreams that I get feelings from. It's yours." Mamoru revealed slowly, hesitantly. "I get a weird spacey feeling when I think of the name Endymion. The first time I heard you say it in your sleep my mind went kind of blank, and the first thing I thought of was my dreams about the Princess." he said as he nervously played with her hair, and wondered if this was how she felt when she explained how the man's name made her feel.

"The other things you said in your sleep caused me pain, so some part of me must have understood and known what you had been saying and dreaming." he finished.

"Endymion." she said deliberately and tried to ignore the feelings that rose within her as she watched Mamoru's eyes go blank, then his eyelids flutter before he blinked and seemed to come back to himself.

"It's just more evidence to the reincarnation theory." she said with a nod. "I wonder if I would have the same kind of reaction to the Princess' name, but what I really want to know is how I'm supposed to remember."

They were both quiet for a time as they thought about what to do to try and help her remember her memories if she was the princess.

"Your dreams might be the key since you're starting to remember them when you wake up. Perhaps if you remembered more and thought about them a lot you might remember something on your own while you're awake." Mamoru suggested.

"I'll let you know in the morning if I remember what I dream tonight." she agreed with a nod.

"Let's talk about something else and give our minds time to adjust to what we've learned." he suggested and Usagi quickly agreed.

"At the end of your letter you said you would write more about yourself." Usagi reminded him. "You could start now and continue in your next letter." she suggested and he agreed with a smile.

Mamoru began to talk about himself, giving details of his childhood both good and bad, the places he had worked in middle school and high school- including his modeling stint, and how he and Motoki became friends.

During that time Mr. Tsukino came home and Mamoru paused in his narration to greet the older man, and by the time he finished his story about him and his best friend dinner was ready. He happily helped his Usagi down to the dinning room where her family waited.

Meanwhile…

A black feline waited in the cold across the street from the arcade. She waited to make sure all employees were gone and waited for the foot and car traffic on the street to die down before making her way to the front of the business.

Once out front she used her moonbeam to open the entrance and close it before making her way to the Sailor V game.

When the game started up she went through the routine of giving a voice analysis and password before the game screen went fuzzy and the computer generated voice spoke.

It was time to report her findings to Central Control.


End file.
